Adam Sandler Returns to the Golf Course in 'Happy Gilmore 2' 1st Look
12/26/2024 12:56 PM
Adam Sandler is heading back to the golf course nearly three decades after Happy Gilmore's 1996 release.
Netflix announced in May 2024 that Happy Gilmore 2 was in the works with Sandler set to reprise his role as the titular character. The cult classic followed Happy, an unsuccessful ice hockey player, as he discovered his natural talent for golf. He enters a golf tournament hoping to win money to save his grandmother's house from foreclosure.
Alongside Sandler, the sports comedy also starred Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, Frances Bay, Carl Weathers, Allen Covert and Ben Stiller.
Two months before Netflix confirmed the sequel news, McDonald, who played Sandler's nemesis Shooter McGavin in the film, teased that Happy Gilmore 2 was in development.
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"Here's a quick intel. I saw Adam about two weeks ago and he says to me 'McDonald, you're going to love this,'" he shared in a March 2024 interview on 92.3 "The Fan" in Cleveland. "I said, 'What?' And he says 'How about that? And he shows me a first draft of Happy Gilmore 2."
Keep scrolling to learn more about the Happy Gilmore sequel:
What Happened at the End of the Original 'Happy Gilmore'?
At the end of the 1996 film, Happy Gilmore (Sandler) uses a trick shot to win the Tour Championship and the gold jacket, ultimately winning his grandma's house back.
Who Will Star in 'Happy Gilmore 2'?
When the sequel was confirmed in May 2024, Netflix shared that Sandler was expected to reprise his role. Three months later, Sandler confirmed the news and shared that Travis Kelce was also going to be joining him in the film.
"The whole thing was to get to hang out with Travis. That's why we put it together," Sandler said of the movie on an August 2024 episode of Kelce's "New Heights" podcast. "We're going there [to New Jersey]. Travis, by the way, thank you, I heard you talking about [Happy Gilmore 2] on your show, you guys."
The comedian teased he had a special role in mind for the NFL star, but they ultimately decided not to pursue that direction.
"We were talking about you playing my son while we were writing it, literally, like, six months ago," Sandler continued. "We were like, imagine if Travis was my first baby, how funny that would be. Just a badass."
That same month, Netflix announced that Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald are set to return for the sequel. "Shooter McGavin and Virginia Venit, please report to the green," Netflix wrote via X while announcing the news. Minutes later, the streaming service revealed Bad Bunny would also join the cast.
In December 2024, Sandler also confirmed rapper Eminem was making a "funny as hell" cameo in the film during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show.
"Eminem was cool. He came by, he was great," the actor said at the time, though he did not dish on what role the rapper plays in the film. "I've known Eminem for a long time, he's a great guy and he came in and was funny as hell. I think we just hung out a day with Eminem and he just shot and shot and he was insane. He said a million things we can use and a million that we're glad we have him on tape."
What Will the Plot of 'Happy Gilmore 2' Be?
While Netflix has yet to reveal details about what the plot of the sequel will be, Sandler said he has already been working on the script.
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"We've been jammin' and [writing]," he shared on "The Dan Patrick Show" in April 2024. "We have a million ideas already, we just got to make it a movie and make sure we're excited about people enjoying it. We love Happy Gilmore. We don't want to let anybody down."
Are Julie Bowen and Adam Sandler's Characters Together in 'Happy Gilmore 2'?
"We are very much together," Bowen confirmed during an appearance on the Today show in September, referring to her and Sandler's characters.
Is There a Trailer for 'Happy Gilmore 2'?
Netflix released the first look at the sequel on Christmas Day 2024. "Season's Greetings from Netflix, and a Happy New Year," read a message on the screen over clips of Sandler's Happy back on the golf course.
In the first trailer, rapper Bad Bunny appears to be playing Happy's caddy, while Kelce's character tells Happy, "It's great to see you back, Mr. Gilmore." In one scene, Happy is seen in a huddle with a group of kids, including Sandler's real-life daughter Sunny. The shot seems to be a hint that Happy and Virginia started a family. (Sandler shares his daughters Sunny and Sadie with his wife, Jackie.)
"We've only just begun," Virginia tells Happy near the end of the clip before leaning in to share a kiss.
The first look concludes with a major tease, showing Happy and Shooter having a staredown in a graveyard.
