Sandler, Bowen, and McDonald reunite for a 'Happy Gilmore' sequel, with new stars joining the fun!
Over a decade after the original hit theaters, a ‘Happy Gilmore’ sequel is finally in the works. The 1996 cult classic sports comedy, directed by Dennis Dugan, follows Happy Gilmore, a failed ice hockey player turned golfer, as he scrambles to save his grandmother's house from foreclosure. With a surprising knack for golf, Happy enters paid tournaments, shaking up the golf world with his unconventional antics and rising popularity. The film starred Adam Sandler in the title role alongside Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, and Carl Weathers.
In March 2024, McDonald, who portrayed Sandler’s iconic rival Shooter McGavin, confirmed that ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ was in development. While still in its early stages, the sequel is already boasting an impressive all-star cast. Here's everything you need to know about the returning and new faces joining this highly anticipated follow-up!
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The cast for the ‘Happy Gilmore’ sequel continues to grow, with Adam Sandler set to reprise his iconic role. Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald, who starred in the original 1996 comedy, are also returning, making it a reunion for the trio. Bowen will once again play Virginia Venit, the PGA Tour publicist who became Happy’s love interest, while McDonald is back as the arrogant golfer Shooter McGavin, whose jealousy fueled his attempts to derail Happy’s success. It was believed that other than Sandler, the rest of the returning cast depends on where the sequel’s story takes us, but McDonald's enthusiasm for the project strongly hinted that Shooter McGavin will be back to antagonize Happy once more—still the perfect villain for this long-awaited follow-up.
The ‘Happy Gilmore’ sequel's core cast is set to return, with some exciting new additions joining the lineup. On September 10, Netflix revealed several casting choices on social media. Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny, who has made waves in Hollywood with roles in ‘Bullet Train’ and ‘Cassandro,’ is joining the sequel in an undisclosed role.
Additionally, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will also appear in the comedy, though his role remains unspecified. Sandler confirmed Kelce’s involvement while promoting the sequel on ‘The Tonight Show’ last month. “The whole thing was to hang out with Travis. That’s why we put it together,” Sandler joked on an August 2024 episode of Kelce’s ‘New Heights’ podcast.
During an April appearance on the ‘Dan Patrick Show,’ Adam Sandler shared that he would “love” to include comedian Drew Carey in the ‘Happy Gilmore’ sequel, following in the footsteps of ‘Price is Right’ predecessor Bob Barker, who made a memorable cameo in the original film. “When we were writing, Bob was still with us,” Sandler recalled. Barker passed away in 2023.
He went on to reflect on the loss of key cast members, saying, “When we were writing, Carl Weathers was alive. When we were writing, 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.” Weathers and Flaherty, who portrayed Chubbs Peterson, a pro golfer, and Donald, Shooter’s hired heckler, respectively, also passed away earlier this year.
