Summary

• Murder Mystery 3 is highly likely to be made due to the popularity of the first two movies on Netflix, with Murder Mystery 2 ranking as the 39th most-watched show and the fourth most-watched movie between January and June.
• Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston's star power and comedic chemistry contribute to the success of the Murder Mystery movies, as they bring a built-in audience with their acting abilities and reputation for making excellent comedy movies together.
• The Murder Mystery movies tap into beloved tropes and formulas that are popular with audiences, such as the classic storyline of a strained couple getting involved in an investigation and the use of murder mystery tropes like bluffing the murderer and everyone being a suspect.

With the new streaming data from Netflix, Murder Mystery 3 – Adam Sandler’s comedy sequel to Murder Mystery 2 – is nearly guaranteed. Netflix’s Murder Mystery movie series follows Nick and Audrey Spitz, a couple who find themselves pulled into murder investigations when they least expect it. The first movie was released in 2019, boasting a star-studded cast led by Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler.

Murder Mystery 2’s cast brings back the main pair while integrating other famous faces like Mark Strong and Jillian Bell. While both films were massively popular when they first came out, Murder Mystery 2 took Netflix by storm, becoming a popular subject of discussion on social media. After the success of Murder Mystery 2, it became highly likely Netflix would produce Murder Mystery 3. The chances of this have increased exponentially ever since Netflix released new streaming data for the first half of 2023.

Murder Mystery 3 Will Surely Happen Given How Popular The First Two Are On Netflix

Murder Mystery 3 is a given when looking at how popular the first two movies are. According to the What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report, Murder Mystery 2 was the 39th most-watched show between January and June. It was also the fourth most-watched movie on the list, with most of the higher-ranking titles being TV shows and miniseries. This is an impressive feat since the movie only came out at the very end of March, giving it less time than two of the three higher-ranking films – You People, Mother, and Luther: The Fallen Sun.

This data alone would be enough to warrant a Murder Mystery 3, but the first Murder Mystery movie also appeared on the list. Murder Mystery ranked 124th on the list with 87 million 900 thousand watch hours, which is incredibly high for a movie that released in 2019. This puts the movie at about the same level of popularity as mainstays like Gilmore Girls season 1 and Squid Game season 1, as well as new favorites like Florida Man.

The data from Netflix’s Engagement Report proves the staying power of Adam Sandler’s Murder Mystery movies. These movies are clearly wildly popular with audiences. What’s more, Murder Mystery 2’s opening broke Netflix records, becoming the second-biggest opening weekend for a comedy film and hitting the Top 10 list in 91 countries. Considering how high both films ranked, Netflix would be remiss if they didn’t continue the movie series by making Murder Mystery 3.

Why Adam Sandler's Murder Mystery Movies Are So Successful On Netflix

There are many reasons Adam Sandler’s Murder Mystery movies have found a massive audience on Netflix. Firstly, both Aniston and Sandler have massive name recognition on their own due to their incredible acting abilities. This brings a built-in audience to the movies. On top of this, the pair are well known for making excellent comedy movies together. Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston movies benefit from their onscreen chemistry and repartee. Aniston’s understated comedy style provides a nice foil for Sandler’s over-the-top, goofy antics.

Additionally, while the jokes can be cheesy and the plots are contrived, the Murder Mystery movies tap into beloved tropes and formulas that are popular with audiences. The first Murder Mystery leans into the classic storyline of a strained couple who gets roped into an investigation that brings them together. The film manages to include multiple beloved murder mystery tropes like bluffing the murderer, everyone is a suspect, and Chekhov’s gun. On the other hand, Murder Mystery 2 shifts into the spy parody subgenre with Nick and Audrey becoming subpar private investigators. By tapping into the best parts of these genres, writer James Vanderbilt ensured the movies would find success.

Chekhov’s gun is the trope of including an insignificant object that later becomes important.

What Murder Mystery 3 Could Be About

Murder Mystery 2’s ending includes a massive cliffhanger, perfectly setting up the plot of Murder Mystery 3. In the last moments of the film, Nick and Audrey fly in a helicopter while holding a $3 million dinosaur leather briefcase. The pilot pulls a gun on them and steals the bag and money before parachuting out, leaving the couple to crash. This sets up the central mystery for Murder Mystery 3. The private investigators will need to pilot the helicopter to safety and track down the man who pretended to be their pilot. Many big questions will come up, such as the identity of the mugger and why he robbed them.

Sources: What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report