Adam Sandler has announced on Instagram that Happy Gilmore 2 has gotten underway. To a photo of his character’s Boston Bruins jersey, tagged with his titular character’s name on it, Sandler captioned, “It ain’t over. The way I see it… we’ve only just begun.”
It was only back in May that Sandler confirmed — through former co-star and TV host Drew Barrymore — that the sequel to the 1996 original was a go. Netflix soon followed on May 15, teasing, “It’s been almost 30 years since we last saw Happy Gilmore, the long-driving hero who won in the Tour Championship in 1996. Now, we finally get to catch up with him in a new sequel.”
Happy Gilmore 2 Production
The star is reprising his role as the unlikely golf phenomenon in Kyle Newachek's follow-up feature for Netflix. Sandler delivers a similar line in the original movie to rival Shooter McGavin, played by Christopher McDonald.
Plot details have not yet been shared about the sequel. Happy Gilmore starred Sandler as an unsuccessful hockey player who becomes an unlikely golf sensation, thanks to his monster drives.
McDonald let the cat out of the bag earlier this year when he said during a radio interview that a script for a sequel was in the works. The project was officially announced a couple of months later, with Netflix posting to social media in May, “Happy Gilmore is back! Adam Sandler will reprise his iconic role in a brand new movie coming to Netflix.”
Happy Gilmore 2 Cast
Sandler has said in recent media appearances that Benny Safdie will have a role in Happy Gilmore 2, while NFL star Travis Kelce will make a cameo. McDonald will also reprise his role as Shooter.
During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sandler shared his excitement about revisiting the popular character. “The idea that me and my buddy Tim Herlihy had and the more we talked about it and scene to scene worked on it, it built, and we feel very strong about the movie itself,” Sandler said at the time. “We’re happy where it’s at and this is an exciting time for us. I don’t know how all of a sudden our brains said, ‘Let’s do that.’ It just kind of happened.”
Happy Gilmore History
Happy Gilmore is a classic sports comedy starring Adam Sandler. Many of its funniest quotes even worked their way into professional golf! The film follows Happy Gilmore, an unsuccessful ice hockey player who discovers he has a talent for golf. Happy starts competing in golf tournaments to gather enough money to stop the foreclosure of his grandmother’s house.
A Look Back at the Original Movie
Released in 1996, sports comedy Happy Gilmore follows an ice hockey player with anger management issues who realises he can channel that anger towards major pro golf wins. He faces off against an arrogant opponent named Shooter McGavin, played by Christopher McDonald. Happy Gilmore grossed $41m (£31.3m) worldwide on a production budget of $12m (£9.1m), and remains one of Sandler’s most popular films.
The Sequel
Happy Gilmore 2 tees off on Netflix in 2025. With cameras now rolling on Happy Gilmore 2, it will not be long before viewers get a better glimpse at who may star alongside Saddler. Despite a mixed reception, the original movie has a strong following alongside a surprising appreciation in the golfing community, while Bob Barker appreciated his brief appearance. As such, though Sandler's other filmography can be divisive, the long-awaited sequel should perfectly land with its audience.
The Future of Happy Gilmore
When discussing the potential of a sequel in 2022, Sandler did hint that Happy Gilmore 2 may see Happy join a senior golfing tour, implying that he still had some affection for the sport even after saving Grandma Gilmore from her abusive retirement home. Despite this, Gilmore still won't have the support of all golfing personalities, as Christopher McDonald's Shooter McGavin is confirmed to return. While the main cast is still largely unknown, both Sandler's Uncut Gems collaborator Benny Safdie and football player Travis Kelce are expected to make appearances, though the capacity of their roles is unknown.
