Adam Sandler is finally returning to play one of his most iconic characters with the announcement that he’ll star in a sequel to Happy Gilmore.
Netflix announced Wednesday at its 2024 Upfront presentation at the Pier 59 Studios in New York City that the 57-year-old comedian and actor would reprise the title character after previously playing him in the 1996 original, via The Hollywood Reporter.
That film, which grossed more than triple its budget, featured the Saturday Night Live alumnus as a failed hockey player with anger issues who uses his newly discovered talent at golf to try to win enough money to save his grandmother’s home from foreclosure.
The comedy has gone on to be one of Sandler’s most popular films with one of his most recognizable roles, so it made sense that the streamer would try to reclaim some of Happy Gilmore’s glory with a sequel.
The news comes after one of Sandler’s good friends and regular costars indicated that a Happy Gilmore sequel was in the works.
Netflix announced Wednesday at its 2024 Upfront presentation in NYC that Adam Sandler will star in a sequel to Happy Gilmore; pictured in Berlin in February
Sandler starred in 1996’s Happy Gilmore as the title character, a failed hockey player with anger issues who uses his newfound golf skills to try to save his grandmother’s home from foreclosure; pictured with Christopher McDonald (L) and Allen Covert (R)
Although Netflix announced it was moving forward with the project, it stayed mum on the sequel’s plot or creative team.
Last month, Drew Barrymore spilled the beans when she revealed that Sandler had been working on a screenplay for a Happy Gilmore sequel, though it wasn’t confirmed at the time that the film was moving forward.
Christopher McDonald, who played the golf pro and villain Shooter McGavin in the original film, shared in March that he thought Sandler might have a part for him in a potential Happy Gilmore sequel.
Sandler even told podcaster Dan Patrick that he was at work on a script in March, though there wasn’t confirmation that the film would move forward at the time.
The star previously expressed interest in a sequel back in 2022.
Sandler’s 1996 original was directed by Dennis Dugan and featured a screenplay by its star and Tim Herlihy.
Happy Gilmore costarred the late Carl Weathers, Julie Bowen, Frances Bay and Kevin Nealon, along with McDonald.
The late Bob Barker also had a cameo as himself, which included one of the film’s most popular scenes, in which he gets into a fistfight with Sandler.
The Happy Gilmore sequel will be part of Sandler’s $250 million deal with Netflix, for which he has produced at films for the streaming service.
The deal has been a boon for Sandler’s wallet, but has resulted in eight films that have been reviled by critics, while fans have failed to embrace them as tightly as they did his theatrical hits from the 1990s and 2000s.
One of the worst reviewed, 2015’s Western parody The Ridiculous 6, has an astounding zero percent rotten rating from critics surveyed by Rotten Tomatoes.
Other films, including Sandy Wexler and Murder Mystery, haven’t fared much better with critics, though his special 100% Fresh was a hit with fans and critics and proved that Sandler’s stand-up comedy was as strong as ever.
Carl Weathers, Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen and more costarred in the 1996 original, which was a hit for Sandler that earned three times its budget
The late Bob Barker also had a cameo as himself, which included one of the film’s most popular scenes, in which he gets into a fistfight with Sandler
McDonald and Drew Barrymore both hinted in recent months that Sandler was working on a screenplay for Happy Gilmore 2, but the film was only now confirmed to be in the works
The movie will be part of Sandler’s mostly panned films produced for Netflix. He’s currently filming Noah Baumbach’s film Jay Kelly opposite George Clooney; seen in 2020 in Beverly Hills
The actor has also starred in the acclaimed films The Meyerowitz Stories (New And Selected) for director Noah Baumbach and Uncut Gems with the directing duo of Josh and Benny Safdie in the same period.
Both films earned him some of the best reviews of his career.
Sandler is back in prestige film mode with another collaboration with Baumbach, who co-wrote the box office juggernaut Barbie with his wife, Greta Gerwig, who directed the doll-inspired film.
Sandler has been spotted filming his upcoming movie Jay Kelly in Italy in recent weeks alongside his costar George Clooney.
