Adam Sandler's Grown Ups 2 looks set for embarrassment at the Razzies after picking up eight nominations ahead of the annual awards ceremony for the year's worst movies.
Sandler, a perennial Razzie "favourite", saw his film beat rivals such as Will and Jaden Smith sci-fi bomb After Earth, festive celluloid piffle A Madea Christmas and ensemble turkey Movie 43, all of which scored six nominations. The winners will be announced the day before this year's Oscars on 1 March.
Grown Ups 2, which was co-written and produced by Sandler, is nominated for worst movie, worst sequel, worst ensemble, worst screenplay, worst lead actor (Adam Sandler), worst supporting actor (Taylor Lautner) and worst director (Dennis Dugan). If Sandler "triumphs" in the worst lead actor section, it will be his third such victory in a row. However, he will face stiff competition from After Earth's Jaden Smith, The Lone Ranger's Johnny Depp, Jobs' Ashton Kutcher and Bullet to the Head's Sylvester Stallone. If the latter wins it would be a remarkable 31st Razzie for the erstwhile Rocky star.
The nominees for worst actress include Naomi Watts for her turn as Princess Diana in Diana, Lindsay Lohan for The Canyons, Selena Gomez for Getaway, Halle Berry for The Call and a cross-dressing Tyler Perry for A Madea Christmas.
Razzie winners and nominees are decided each year by the 750 members of the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation, except for the worst screen combo prize, which is chosen by users of the Rotten Tomatoes website. Banking on the fact that high-profile Hollywood figures such as Sandra Bullock and Halle Berry have in the past turned up to pick up their awards in person, organisers hope to broadcast this year's ceremony live, with the help of an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign.
