Adam Sandlerhas had one of the most enviable careers in show business since first appearing as Smitty onThe Cosby Showin 1987. He has a list of comedy credits a mile long with many hits (and some flops that nonetheless provided him a vacation with his friends), and he’s become a respecteddramatic actor thanks to films likePunch-Drunk LoveandUncut Gems. On top of that, he’s still a beloved stand-up comic who has released material for more than 30 years, including this year’sexcellent Netflix special,Love You.
However, despite this massive career, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better period than his prolific run of film in the ’90s —Airheads(1994),Billy Madison(1995),Happy Gilmore(1996),The Wedding Singer(1998), andThe Waterboy(1998), withLittle Nicky, Punch-Drunk Love, andMr. Deedsright around the corner. But it’sHappy Gilmorethat is often considered his best comedy, and that’s the film most people are talking about at the moment thanks to the imminent sequel, releasing three decades after the original. With the sequel on the horizon, audiences are flocking to Tubi, where the originalHappy Gilmoreis now streaming for free.
The film has recently cracked Tubi’s Top 10 ahead of the sequel, which recently got a release date of July 2025. At the end of the summer, Sandler sat down withJimmy Fallon nack in Augustand talked about what to expect from the new film, saying:
“Me and my buddy Tim Herlihy, we came up with the idea, we’re really excited about it, we wrote our asses off, we’re continuing to attempt to make it a movie you guys will like.”
Netflix’s ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Finally Gets Release Date Thanks to Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler also revealed details of another surprise cameo in the comedy sequel.
Tim Herlihy has co-written most of Sandler’s best comedies with him, including the originalHappy Gilmore. For those that don’t recall, or who didn’t have Comedy Central between the years 1996 and 2005,Happy Gilmorechronicles the titular wannabe hockey player who learns his signature slapshot gives him the ability to drive the long ball on the links. After getting passed over again and again for hockey tryouts, and needing money to save his sweet grandma’s house from the tax collectors, Gilmore reluctantly slides into professional golfing and learns to tame his temper and find his happy place.
Sandler’s Winning Formula
Most will remember the sports comedy for its many quotable lines, the Bob Barker fight scene, and singular performances from Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin, Carl Weathers as Derick “Chubbs” Peterson, and Ben Stiller as the evil rest home orderly, Hal. Sandler’s ability to write to his strengths and cast people he will have an undeniable good time with brings an energy and vitality to his films that gives them staying power.
Sandler writes himself as a goofy every man in many of his movies (even the son of a hotel fortune), which allows his juvenile (but no less funny) bits and gags to play well. Though it runs on theSNLmodel of movie making - needing a specific amount of money in a specific amount of time - the film holds a special place in Gen X and Millennial hearts. Even if Sandler’s films don’t do well critically all the time,he certainly draws an audience.
All the details of the sequel aren’t known, but the plot revolves around Happy and Shooter’s rivalry which is still going on all these years later. As Gilmore takes on a protégé to train for an upcoming golf tournament, Shooter takes one of his own and the feud between the two men spills over into another generation of athletes. Confirmed for the cast in the new film areJulie Bowen, Christopher McDonald,andBen Stillerand newcomersMargaret Qualley, Bad Bunny, Benny Safdie, Maxwell Jacob Friedman,andTravis Kelce. The originalHappy Gilmoreis currently still streaming free on Tubi. You can watch it through the link below:
Watch Happy Gilmore
Happy Gilmore
