All You Need to Know About Sandler’s Follow-Up to 1996 Comedy – Hollywood Life
The 1996 comedy Happy Gilmore is returning for another round.
Adam Sandler, who starred in and co-wrote the original, will be reuniting with friends and co-stars reprising beloved roles, as well as new faces like Travis Kelce and Bad Bunny. Kyle Newacheck will direct, while the original director, Dennis Dugan, will serve as one of the executive producers alongside Jack Giarraputo, Robert Simonds, Judit Maull, Kevin Grady, David Bausch, and Barry Bernardi.
Here’s everything we know so far about the long-awaited sequel, slated to release on Netflix.
Who Is Confirmed to Be in the Cast of Happy Gilmore 2?
The golf comedy will be a reunion for Sandler and his co-stars Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald, who are set to reprise their roles. Bowen returns as Virginia Venit, a PGA Tour publicist-turned-romantic interest for Happy, while McDonald will again portray the cocky pro golfer Shooter McGavin, who tries to thwart Happy’s meteoric rise out of jealousy.
“Shooter McGavin and Virginia Venit, please report to the green,” Netflix shared in a post on X. “Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald will return in Happy Gilmore 2!”
In an April appearance on the Dan Patrick Show, Sandler expressed interest in bringing comedian Drew Carey into the movie after Bob Barker, Carey’s Price is Right predecessor, appeared in the original. Patrick also confirmed on the show that he will be in the movie.
“When we were writing stuff, Bob (Barker) was alive,” Sandler said. “When we were writing stuff, Carl Weathers was alive. When we were writing stuff, Joe Flaherty was alive. It sucks. We love those guys. They’re such a big part of the movie and just great people. But we’re going to get them involved. Somehow, they’ll be involved.”
Barker died in 2023, and Weathers and Flaherty passed away this year.
Bad Bunny, who has recently ventured into Hollywood with roles in films like Bullet Train (2022) and Cassandro (2023), is confirmed for an unspecified role in Happy Gilmore 2. “Benito 🤝 Sandler,” read the X post, using Bad Bunny’s real name, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. “Benito Martínez Ocasio will star in Happy Gilmore 2!”
In an August appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Sandler teased a cameo by Kansas City Chiefs tight end, who is is set to appear in the upcoming Ryan Murphy series Grotesquerie on FX and will host the new spinoff Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?, premiering in October. “Travis mentioned it, so we have a nice something for Travis,” Sandler told Fallon. “He’s gonna come by. He’s a very nice guy. You guys would love him in real life.”
In the same month, Sandler confirmed to Indiewire that Benny Safdie would “have a juicy part” as well.
Where Did Happy Gilmore Leave Off?
The original sports comedy film follows Happy Gilmore, a hot-tempered, unsuccessful ice hockey player who discovers a unique talent for golf—specifically, a powerful and unorthodox swing.
When his grandmother risks losing her home due to unpaid taxes, Happy enters a golf tournament to earn money. Despite his lack of experience and knowledge of golf etiquette, he quickly draws attention for his raw talent. He teams up with former pro Chubbs Peterson, who helps him refine his skills.
Happy becomes a sensation on the PGA Tour with his unconventional style and crowd-pleasing antics, but clashes with snobbish pro Shooter McGavin, who sees him as a threat. In a climactic showdown, Happy triumphs at the Tour Championship, winning back his grandmother’s house and receiving a vision of his late mentor, Chubbs.
What Is Happy Gilmore 2 About?
Netflix has yet to release plot details for the sequel, but Sandler and a castmate have shared a few hints. In August 2024, Sandler confirmed that the film is about “an older guy who played golf a long time ago.” He also mentioned that his character appears in flashbacks to the 1950s, though he couldn’t reveal more.
While appearing on Today with Hoda & Jenna on Thursday, Sept. 12, Bowen talked about her return as Virginia and confirmed that she and Happy “are very much together.”
Sandler and Tim Herlihy, his co-writer from the original film, have been working on the script since February, according to a post on X.
There’s a difference between not having a script, and not letting Nick “Loose Lips” Swardson read the script. Believe me, there’s a script. There’s been one since February.
— Tim Herlihy (@MrTimHerlihy) August 6, 2024
Where Is Happy Gilmore 2 Being Filmed?
Sandler mentioned that some of the production would take place in New Jersey, with filming set to occur in Bergen, Essex, Monmouth, Morris, and Somerset counties from September through November.
When Will Happy Gilmore 2 Be Released?
The sequel does not yet have a release date, as it is still in the early stages of production.
On September 9, Sandler teased that production on the comedy is underway by sharing a photo on Instagram of the iconic hockey jersey. “It ain’t over. The way I see it… we’ve only just begun,” he wrote in the caption.