In March 2007, Cheadle starred with comedian Adam Sandler in Mike Binder's "Reign Over Me", a comedy-drama about a man who has slipped away from reality after the death of his wife and three daughters in 9/11. The film was a box office flop, earning a domestic gross of $22.2 million. Cheadle later starred in the 2009 DreamWorks Pictures film "Hotel for Dogs". Cheadle was to make his directorial debut with the adaptation of Elmore Leonard's "Tishomingo Blues", but in July 2007 he stated, "'Tishomingo' is dead..."