Adam Sandler's 'The Ridiculous 6' Breaks Records on Netflix

The western comedy is the biggest movie opening in the company's history.

ByABC News
January 7, 2016, 4:48 PM

— -- It may only be the first week of 2016, but Netflix says that Adam Sandler has already broken a major record for the movie-streaming website.

Netflix's Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos revealed that Sandler's western-comedy film "The Ridiculous 6," which was released on Netflix in December, is the most-watched movie opening in the company's history. Netflix did not reveal how many subscribers watched "The Ridiculous 6."

“The Ridiculous 6” stars Sandler as an orphan raised by Native Americans who sets out on a quest to save his father with his five half-brothers. The western comedy also stars Terry Crews, Jorge Garcia, Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider and Luke Wilson.

Netflix was founded in 1997 as an online movie rental service. Its streaming platform was introduced in 2007. The company started 2016 with 70 million subscribers, a number that is likely to increase after the announcement on Wednesday that Netflix has expanded into 130 more countries.

"The Ridiculous 6," which is one of the movies Sandler signed on to do with Netflix in October of 2014, made headlines last April when a handful of Native-American actors quit the film over perceived racial stereotypes.

Netflix defended Sandler and the film at the time, telling ABC News in a statement that, "The movie has ridiculous in the title for a reason: because it is ridiculous. It is a broad satire of Western movies and the stereotypes they popularized, featuring a diverse cast that is not only part of -- but in on -- the joke."

ABC News reached out to Netflix for further comment.