No holds barred ... Sony head Amy Pascal did not hold back about her low opinion of Adam Sandler in emails to colleagues, twice calling the actor an ‘asshole’. Picture: AP Photo/Chris Carlson Source: AP

In the latest controversial correspondence to be exposed, former Sony cash-cow Adam Sandler is derided by Sony head Amy Pascal as an “asshole”.

The emails, reported on by The Daily Beast, address a mooted film version of the board game Candyland, proposed by Sandler with a US$200 million ($245 million) budget. Pascal is unimpressed. “Adam is an asshile [sic] and this is more his fault than anyone’s but what we did was not communicate with each other and make assumptions …,” she writes to colleagues, after a meeting with the comedian. “Maybe I didn’t pay attention when you were telling me what I was walking into,” she adds.

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Leaked emails ... Sony head Amy Pascal at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘The Interview’. Picture: Splash Source: Supplied

Fall from grace ... Adam Sandler apparently got Amy Pascal’s back up when he requested additional payment for a producing colleague. Picture: AFP/Gabriel Bouys Source: AFP

The studio’s other major objection appears to be to a request from Sandler that his producing partner on the upcoming Hotel Transylvania 2, Allen Covert, be paid an extra US$100,000.

Raimo Kouyate, who oversees production for Sony Pictures Animation, objects on the grounds Covert’s fee is already at the maximum rate for executive producers of US$500,000.

Pascal responds: “100 per cent … They are such assholes.”

Speaking up ... Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler) and Johnnystein (voiced by Andy Samberg) from ‘Hotel Transylvania’. Picture: Sony Source: Supplied

Although Sandler has two films yet to be released by Sony — Hotel Transylvania 2 and Pixels — he had already taken his business to Netflix, where he is making four new films for the online streaming site.

Sandler previously spent 15 years starring in and producing films for Sony Pictures and even has his production company, Happy Madison, housed on the movie company’s studio lot. He is said to have a reputation in Hollywood as a nice guy.

Meanwhile, North Korea has called for a joint investigation with the United States into the crippling cyber attack on Sony Pictures, claiming it has the means to prove Pyongyang was not involved.

Release cancelled ... James Franco, left, and Seth Rogen in a scene from irreverent comedy ‘The Interview’. Picture: AP/Columbia Pictures/Sony/Ed Araquel Source: AP

The proposal comes after US President Barack Obama warned North Korea that it would face retaliation for the cyber attack over an irreverent film comedy that infuriated Pyongyang.

“As the United States is spreading groundless allegations and slandering us, we propose a joint investigation with it into this incident,” said a spokesman for the North’s foreign ministry.

“Without resorting to such tortures as were used by the US CIA, we have means to prove that this incident has nothing to do with us,” the spokesman was quoted as saying by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

‘Hostile activities’ ... actors James Franco, Charles Rahi Chun and Seth Rogen at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘The Interview’, a satire about a CIA plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

Threats issued after the November attack prompted the movie giant to cancel the Christmas Day release of The Interview, a satire about a CIA plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Addressing reporters after the FBI said Pyongyang was to blame, Mr Obama said Washington would never bow to “some dictator”.

North Korea’s UN mission also on Friday denied involvement in the attack.

Pyongyang warned the US of “grave consequences” if the proposal for the joint investigation was rejected.

‘Some dictator’ ... Mr Obama said Washington would never bow to the threats of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Picture: AFP/KCNA Source: AFP

“We will never tolerate anyone who insults our highest authority. But in case we have to retaliate, we would not carry out terrorist attacks on innocent viewers at movie theatres but stage frontal attacks on those who are responsible for the hostile activities against the DPRK (North Korea) and their headquarters,” the North’s foreign ministry spokesman said.

“The United States must bear it mind that grave consequences would follow if it rejects our proposal and continues blabbering about so-called retaliations against us”, he added.