A sequel to beloved golf comedy, Happy Gilmore, is in the works, according to the actor who played Shooter McGavin.
Christopher McDonald – who played the iconic, club-throwing villain in the original film – revealed that he was shown a first draft of the script for an upcoming sequel by Happy Gilmore star Adam Sandler.
“I saw Adam about two weeks ago and he said, ‘McDonald, you’re gonna love this,’” the actor said in a radio interview with Audacy’s 92.3. “I said, ‘What is it?’ He said, ‘How about that?’ and he hands me the first draft of Happy Gilmore 2.
“He showed me that and I thought, ‘Wow, that would be awesome.’ It’s in the works. Fans demand it. I was very, very pleased when I saw that.”
BREAKING: The first draft of Happy Gilmore 2 has been written. I broke the news on @923TheFan this morning https://t.co/vAaaZ3i7shMarch 22, 2024
Happy Gilmore – which follows Sandler’s titular failed hockey player with a hot temper who discovers that he has a natural, albeit unorthodox, talent for golf – has held a special place in the hearts of golf fans since its release in 1996.
The film was a commercial success, grossing almost $40 million worldwide and reaching No.2 at the US box office on the opening weekend of its release – it has since become a cult hit among movie fans.
It is also one of Sandler’s most popular films and, along with Billy Madison, gives its name to his production company, Happy Madison.
Rumors of a sequel have been rife for years, with Sandler saying in 2022 that he was open to the idea of reviving the Gilmore character as a golfer competing on the senior tour.
“It hasn’t been discussed, but it certainly has been discussed on the internet,” he said at the time. “Believe me, that senior tour idea, it would be so amazing… Yes, you can greenlight this.”
Deadline reports that sources say the sequel will be made for streaming service Netflix, where Sandler and Happy Madison have a deal. The sequel, however, will be without one of its main characters Chubbs Peterson, played by Carl Weathers who died earlier this year at the age of 76.
