EXCLUSIVE: Days after Adam Sandler and Happy Madison broke new ground with a four-picture Netflix deal, his pal David Spade and Happy Madison are making Joe Dirt 2 as the first digital sequel to a major studio film. The film is being done with Sony-based Crackle. Spade returns as the mullet-sporting moron title character, and he’s back with former Saturday Night Live writer Fred Wolf to co-write and be exec producers. Wolf steps up to direct this one. The original was released by Columbia Pictures.

Happy Madison produces and production starts mid-November on location in Louisiana, the backdrop for the original. The pic will be released next year on Crackle and all Crackle platforms. Said Spade: “I’m beyond stoked that Joe Dirt will finally hit the screens again on Crackle. I’ve been sleeping in this wig for years and it will be nice to wear it in the daytime again.”

The move gives Crackle some bragging rights, bagging a film that has brand value, and it allows for line extensions on films that are on the fence as far as doing strong enough business to warrant a sequel. The original cost $18 million to make and grossed $28 million.

“David Spade had a fresh and unique vision for Joe Dirt 2 that he could have brought anywhere and we couldn’t be happier that he brought it to Crackle for a first-of-its-kind, worldwide release,” said Eric Berger, Crackle GM and Sony EVP Digital Networks. “The original film has been a longtime viewer favorite, ranking among the most viewed in our library, and we decided to produce and distribute the sequel as a feature for fans everywhere.”