Adam Sandler, Netflix Releases ‘Happy Gilmore’ Sequel Nearly 30 Years After Original Hit in Theaters: What to Know

Netflix has officially prepared a sequel to Adam Sandler’s 1996 golf comedy Happy Gilmore.

The streamer announced in its keynote presentation on Wednesday that Happy Gilmore 2starring Adam Sandler in his original role as a former ice hockey player who successfully resolves his anger issues on the field, was in the works.

There were previous rumors that plans were in the works before Netflix’s May 15 announcement.

Christopher McDonald, who played shooter McGavin in the original, was the first to reveal that a sequel was in the works.

“Here’s a quick piece of information,” said McDonald, appearing on the The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima in March.. “I saw Adam [Sandler] two weeks ago… he showed me the first draft of Happy Gilmore two …It’s ongoing. The fans demand it, damn it!”

Sandler himself confirmed the news on Dan PatrickShow on April 3rd.

Sandler explained to Patrick that he told McDonald, “We’re talking about a Happy two and we are working on some things. …But don’t tell anyone.

When Patrick joked that Sandler shouldn’t have trusted him with the news, Sandler responded, “Well, I was excited because Shooter was in the room with me, I love him.”

The actor, now 57, continued: “We love Happy Gilmore, we don’t want to disappoint anyone. People have been talking to me about this for many years. … We’re going to work hard and make sure it’s good.”

McDonald isn’t wrong when he says fans are invested. One of Sandler’s longtime collaborators and friends, Drew Barrymore, was also eagerly awaiting more details about the film.

On the April 4 edition of her talk show, Barrymore mentioned the possibility of a Happy Gilmore 2saying “I want it, I need it,” in reaction to news of the sequel. “I stayed up last night with my daughter watching Billy Madison and then I sent a video to Sandler and he sent another video back and I’m waiting to see if he’s confirming about the Happy Gilmore 2 road map.”

Barrymore then announced her “breaking news. … I’ll just say this, from my source, that it’s in the works.”

Remind me – what is the movie about?

Happy Gilmore, directed by Dennis Dugan, tells the story of an unsuccessful hockey player (Sandler) with a troubled temper and a newfound love of golf. His signature swing makes him a standout and he enters a tournament hoping to save his grandmother’s house.

The original film reportedly made it into Netflix’s top 10 films as rumors about the sequel spread. Yahoo Entertainment reached out to Netflix to confirm but did not immediately hear back.

For the film’s 25th anniversary, Sandler’s Happy Gilmore co-star Julie Bowen told Yahoo that she didn’t expect the film to be as strong as Happy’s golf swing.

“At the time I thought, ‘Oh, no one will ever see this,’” Bowen said. “I couldn’t be more wrong.”

Sandler told Patrick that the film was successful upon release, “but not a hit. In the end it went well, it continued to do some business, at that time, the VHS and DVD of all that. But when it came out of the gate, it was good enough.”

The actor explained that the film cost around $10 million to make and grossed almost $40 million, “which was a success at the time.”

According to Box Office Mojothe film grossed US$38 million at the domestic box office and US$41 million worldwide.

What we know about the plot

There is no timetable for the second part yet, but fans can expect to feel nostalgic.

In his interview with Patrick, Sandler shared that he is teaming up once again with his college roommate Tim Herlihywith whom he co-wrote the original, adding that “Netflix is ​​excited about it.”

“We are working on it. Me and Herlihy are diligently trying to find a reason for everyone to watch and enjoy,” he said. “We’re jamming, we already have a million ideas, we just need to make a movie and make sure we’re excited about people liking it.”

Although some of the original film’s actors, including Bob Barker, Carl Weathers and Joe Flaherty, have died, Sandler told Patrick he plans to honor them in Happy Gilmore 2.

“We love these guys, they’re a big part of the movie and they’re great people,” he explained. “Let’s get them involved somehow.”

– Laura Clark contributed reporting

Updated May 15, 2024 at 4:00 pm ET: This story has been updated to reflect that Netflix has confirmed the sequel.