Adam Sandler in a scene from “Happy Gilmore 2.” Image: Happy Madison Productions and Netflix
A sequel to the most iconic Adam Sandler movie, “Happy Gilmore,” that I thought, along with millions of other fans, would never happen, is finally here. We now have the official teaser trailer for “Happy Gilmore 2,” which has everyone excited to see their favorite golf-swinging ex-hockey player making a comeback, not on the big screen, but on the biggest streaming service in the world, Netflix.
What a sight for sore eyes to see Adam Sandler return as Happy Gilmore and introduce his most popular character to a whole new audience. If this sequel is at least half as fun as the first one, wow! The kids will have a great time with this one, and we get to see a glimpse of the Adam Sandler of our youth once more. Even if he is past his physical prime, his attitude is still there, making “Happy Gilmore 2” worth watching. They will now understand, from their perspective and young minds, why their parents, especially their dads, were fans of the original “Happy Gilmore,” which came out way back in 1996.
Nostalgia feelings aside, that signature Happy Gilmore wild golf swing is still there. He still wears his Timberlands, his favorite hockey shirt, and dresses like a bum who stumbled onto a golf course! Hahaha. So, the Happy Gilmore look is complete; he still resembles how he looked before. I can’t wait for Happy to show his legendary temper again, cuss out people, and get into fights. I mean, the guy infamously got into a choreographed fight with the late Bob Barker, but he got his *** beat by the “The Price is Right” host! Haha. That is what Happy Gilmore was in the first movie: hilarious, wildly entertaining, shameless, in-your-face, easily agitated, but with a heart when it comes to helping his grandma. But the big question is, is he still that man?
In popular culture, the Happy Gilmore character is one of the most recognizable movie figures of the mid-’90s. This iconic role propelled Adam Sandler to become one of the busiest Hollywood actors since then, with more than half of the movies he has starred in becoming huge hits with audiences, not just at the box office. For him to reprise Happy Gilmore today is a testament to his understanding of how much that character resonated with audiences back then, and will likely do so again in 2025 when the sequel is exclusively shown on Netflix.
Suppose that is not believing in oneself. In that case, I do not know what it is, because Adam Sandler is the type of man who bets on himself. With such an impressive acting resume, it is a sure thing that no one is betting against him turning “Happy Gilmore 2” into the hit it should be if everything goes according to plan. Tickling the funny bone of a younger demographic is not the same as it was during my time, but the visceral nature, rawness, and almost caveman demeanor of Happy Gilmore will surely at least amuse them and get the humor across, because funny is funny; there are no buts or ifs about it.
Returning co-stars include the still lovely Julie Bowen, who plays “Virginia Venit,” a reporter back then, and Happy Gilmore’s love interest, who is now surely his wife or something like that. Of course, Happy’s arch-nemesis, portrayed by Christopher McDonald in “Shooter McGavin,” is back—the same guy who once told Happy, “I eat pieces of **** like you for breakfast,” to which Happy hilariously responded, “You eat pieces of **** for breakfast?!” This was followed by an awkward silence from “Shooter McGavin” before he said, “Noooo.” Haha. The point is, there were so many memorable, replayable, and standout moments in the first “Happy Gilmore” movie.
You get what you get with “Happy Gilmore.” Now it’s time for ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ to be shown on Netflix in early 2025. Watch it!