Adam Sandler has spent the past few years proving he’s just as comfortable revisiting his past as he is chasing new creative ground. With legacy sequels finding renewed traction and longtime collaborators continuing to circle back into his orbit, it’s no surprise that fans are once again on high alert. This time, the spark comes from director Kyle Newacheck, who is teasing a mystery project with the "Sandman" that has already set speculation into motion. And I, for one, hope it's another Happy Gilmore-esque legacy sequel.

The tease surfaced during a recent red-carpet conversation with Screen Rant, where Newacheck was asked about the possibility of working with Adam Sandler again after their recent successes. While the director stopped well short of naming the project or confirming its direction, his comments made it clear that conversations are underway behind the scenes and that his enthusiasm for collaborating with the comedian-turned-dramatic actor hasn’t cooled. He shared:

Newacheck and the king of 1990s studio comedy already have an established working relationship. The comedy director helmed Happy Gilmore 2, which marked Sandler’s return to one of his most iconic roles, and Netflix’s Murder Mystery films, both of which found major streaming success. Those projects helped solidify the filmmaker as one of the Bid Daddy star's go-to collaborators during this current phase of his career.

What makes Newachek’s comments especially interesting is the context in which they arrived. The former Saturday Night Live cast member has recently shown a clear interest in balancing nostalgia with experimentation. Alongside revisiting familiar characters, he’s continued to take on projects that push him into different tonal spaces, including more dramatic and offbeat roles that contrast sharply with his early slapstick persona.

That balance is part of why a potential “legacy-style” sequel feels plausible, even if nothing has been confirmed. The What We Do in the Shadows series veteran director belongs to a generation of filmmakers who grew up watching Sandler’s best comedies, and that shared history often brings a different perspective to revisiting older material. Rather than simply recreating what worked before, these collaborations tend to blend affection for the source with a more modern sense of timing and character.

The Punch-Drunk Love star's workload also suggests he has no plans to slow down. He recently appeared in Jay Kelly alongside George Clooney, and several projects remain in development, including a potential reunion with the Safdie Brothers after their acclaimed collaboration on Uncut Gems. That project’s status is unclear amid the high-profile split between the siblings. The long-time television director, meanwhile, has his own lineup of upcoming movies, underscoring that whatever he and the legendary comedian are discussing is still in the early stages.

For now, specifics are being kept deliberately under wraps. Still, the Murder Mystery director’s comments make it clear that discussions are happening and that the creative door remains open. Whether the project ends up being another Happy Gilmore-style revival, a (here me out) Gilmore spinoff film, or something entirely different, the Sandler–Kyle Newacheck pairing has already shown it can resonate with audiences. Until more is announced, fans are left to speculate about what the Sandman might be working on next.

As we wait for further information about the upcoming Sandler project, his collaborations with Newacheck are available to stream with a Netflix subscription.

We know comedians get one-liners shouted at them on the regular, as Will Ferrell told CinemaBlend fans shout his ‘meatloaf” line at him and Jon Heder told us he gets ‘Tina, you fat lard’ all the time. I’d assume it’s way easier to quote a line as a celebrity is passing by than to try and actually meet them, and would be an easy way to attract attention from a celebrity without putting real work in. So, Adam Sandler getting asked about the line fans shout at him most was not a real shocker. What did have me nearly spitting up my Gatorade Zero was the line fans choose.

In fact, Sandler was among the a-listers who were asked about lines thrown at them by fans, and he really was the only one with a surprise answer. Of course, fans shout “you’re welcome” at Dwayne Johnson and, of course, fans holler “yes, chef” at Jeremy Allen White. For Adam Sandler, it’s not something cutesy or iconic that's hollered at him, it’s actually an insult Happy Gilmore deals with throughout his tenure on the big screen that he hears “a lot.”

As a millennial who grew up right smack dab in the middle of Adam Sandler’s most popular movie releases, there are a lot of quotes that live rent-free in my head, and not always from Sandler’s best movies. Anytime I stub my toe or do anything stupid, I literally say, "Damn you, Scuba Steve." I also sometimes think about how “water sucks” any time I can’t take a break in a tennis match. These don’t even begin to encompass the funniest quotes from one of Sandler’s flicks.

“Jackass,” on the other hand, just doesn’t come to mind much, even though I like Happy Gilmore infinitely better than movies like Big Daddy and The Waterboy. So, I guess it’s easy to picture Adam Sandler just walking around in public and minding his own business and hearing a lesser-known line like “jackass” and then being annoyed for a hot second.

The thing is, it’s not even Sandler’s line. Instead, it’s one a heckler (played by Joe Flaherty, may he rest in peace) shouts at Adam Sandler throughout the course of Happy Gilmore, though it came back up again in Happy Gilmore 2 with Eminem’s already-iconic cameo. At this point, doubtless he’s used to it, but that doesn’t make it any less insulting, honestly.

So, for all you jackasses out there hollering this particular one-word quote at Mr. Sandler, I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul. (OK, I know that’s not a Sandler line, but it just fits so well contextually.)

By most accounts, one of the best movies of 2025 (and possibly one of the best sports movies of all time) was Josh Safdie’s table-tennis stresser Marty Supreme, but the director’s Uncut Gems star Adam Sandler delivered one of the year’s other most sporting efforts with the long-awaited sequel Happy Gilmore 2. To be expected, Sandler shined as bright as ever, but it was his pro-golfing co-star and on-screen BFF John Daly who stole the show for me.

For all the seemingly countless callbacks to the original film, Daly himself wasn’t one of them, as he did not pop up in the 1995 release. What fans like me definitely didn’t know at the time was that Sandler and Daly were already pals, what with Daly popularizing the grip-it-and-rip-it driving approach. And in speaking with Hard Rock Bet, Daly revealed that he’d hoped to appear in Tamra Davis’ movie, but he was unfortunately nowhere near the production location at the time. As he put it:

Given everything we know about Happy Gilmore's plot, it's hard to know how and where John Daly might have factored into it. It probably wouldn't have made much sense for the tourney winner to already be living in Happy's backyard, as having a successful athlete bestie might have deflated the entire plot of the movie, since Happy could have just borrowed money from Daly to pay for his grandmother's house.

Alas, as fun as that might have been, it couldn't have happened, with Daly pointing out that he was out of the U.S. at the time when filming took place. Given the film's release in February 1996, one can assume that the production happened in mid-1995, at which point Daly was around the world pulling off a somewhat surprising victory at the Open Championship in St. Andrews, Scotland, with the event happening in July of that year. (Fun fact: that year marked the first Open appearance from a young Tiger Woods.)

While John Daly certainly would have been a fun addition to Happy Gilmore proper, part of the joy of his sequel character is that he's a goofy, older, white-haired homebody who doesn't take himself seriously at all. Which is a much easier role to pull off later in life, and not when one is in their professional prime. Who knows what kind of personality his fictional counterpart would have had in the mid-'90s?

To that end, Daly is very appreciative to have had as sizable a part as he did in Happy Gilmore 2, given his total lack of education in performances. As he put it:

Is it too early (or just stupid) to start petitioning for Adam Sandler and John Daly to co-star in a future season of True Detective as the lead investigators? It sounds like a joke, but now I feel the need to fill a fan-fiction notebook with ideas for that.

Happy Gilmore 2 is one of many Adam Sandler comedies fans can watch via Netflix subscription, alongside other streaming hits like Hubie Halloween, Murder Mystery and its sequel, The Week Of and more. His next feature Roommates, which will have the Sandman co-starring opposite his daughter Sadie, Nick Kroll, Natasha Lyonne and Storm Reid. It’s expected to debut among many other 2026 Netflix movies over the next 12 months, but the real question is whether Daly will show up in this one or in the sequel 30 years from now.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn't yet watched Jay Kelly via Netflix subscription.

The comparative descriptor “like an Adam Sandler movie” can draw out a surprisingly comprehensive spectrum of assumptions, including sophomoric comedies, pulse-pounding dramas and feel-good family fare. Even with that in mind, Noah Baumbach’s critic-pleasing Jay Kelly still feels like an outlier, as the 2025 Netflix Original adheres to its reality in a grim way that many of Sandler’s movies don’t, even with all of its luxurious excess.

As good as all of the performances are in Jay Kelly, from the vulnerability shown by George Clooney to the Laura Dern-iness of Laura Dern, I found it extremely easy to relate to and sympathize with Sandler’s ever-loyal Ron Sukenick, the long put-upon manager whose time is most easily manipulated by Jay’s whims. In my mind, Ron is the true protagonist, and the role really crystallized some of the long-standing feelings I’ve had about the SNL vet’s performances that I admittedly hadn’t fully examined before.

Adam Sandler Is Getting Oscar Buzz For Jay Kelly, And I Think It's Well Deserved

As Ron Sukenick, Adam Sandler plays someone who puts his professional responsibilities above all others, and puts the happiness of his blue-ribbon client far above his own, with Ron's family forever forced to take the backseat. There's disappointment to be had, but also a hardened resignation in knowing that this is what life is like with Jay Kelly in the spotlight, and is also what pays the bills. It’s a role that doesn’t give Sandler many moments where he’s flashing his signature smile with authenticity, and there's instead a sense of fatigued surrender lingering beneath the surface.

To me, Ron's arc in the film is the most successful and bittersweet, and I genuinely found myself surprised when he agreed to stick around for the award ceremony, mainly because I think he deserves more than just a last-ditch stab at friendship from Jay. I just care about the dude.

Sandler sparked Oscar buzz even before Jay Kelly’s trailer was released, due in part to his fashion choices, but that awards buzz continued even after the movie screened, which the actor had a great response to. Helping those assumptions along is the fact that his name was indeed called when the Golden Globes nominations were announced on Dec. 8. I think that nod and an Oscar nom are both deserved, and it’s in large part because Ron feels like Adam Sandler when he's slightly more bummed out than usual.

Ron Sukenick Brought Into Focus That My Favorite Adam Sandler Performances Are (Almost) Always His Least Performative

There are hundreds, even thousands, of actors out there who absolutely need to bring an extra spark to a performance, as their default personalities are either not interesting or not dynamic enough to hold attention. But Adam Sandler doesn't need to embrace any such artifice, as his natural charisma and low-energy demeanor are endlessly watchable, regardless of whether he's giving a late-night interview, commanding the stage for a stand-up performance, or heading up a star-studded Netflix comedy.

Sandler is the king of casual, regardless of genre, and that's the zone I love to see him in the most, when it seems like he just walked off the street and stepped into the role. I could go the rest of my life without ever seeing or even thinking about The Waterboy or Little Nicky again, for instance, because Bobby Boucher and Little Nicky are two of the most annoying movie characters I can think of. I'd also change seats in a bus if Hubie Halloween or Sandy Wexler sat next to me, and they're not the only ones.

Even though I absolutely adore Adam Sandler's comedy albums, which hinge almost entirely on the actor playing over-the-top characters, those short bursts are far easier to contend with than feature runtimes. If I'm sticking around for 90+ minutes, I'd much rather watch Sandler play someone as close to a real person as possible, even if the narrative is a stretch.

In this respect, I'm talking about him playing Barry Egan in Punch-Drunk Love, Sonny Koufax in Big Daddy, Don Truby in Men, Women & Children, George Simmons in Funny People and Danny Friedman in You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah. Even Longfellow Deeds feels like a normal dude, though I don't really like that movie very much. And sure, Uncut Gems' Howard Ratner isn't 100% natural, but it doesn't require the actor to dumb himself down at all, so it works here.

That Doesn't Mean I Dislike All Of The Movies With Adam Sandler's Wackier Roles

To be sure, this whole career-arcing view on Adam Sandler is definitely more tied to performances than my overall opinions of the movies themselves. For instance, I think Happy Gilmore is one of the funniest sports movies of all time, but I don't think Sandler's acting is particularly outstanding, and the character is often a self-obsessed turd. Same for Billy Madison, which I love despite its doofus titular character. (I also think Hubie Halloween is fun, for all that I bump against the character himself.)

As well, I don't particularly care for Robbie Hart or Henry Roth in The Wedding Singer or 50 First Dates, but I'll rewatch both of those without issue. His vocal performances in the Hotel Transylvania movies and Leo can even get grating, but not enough to totally ruin those projects. And the list goes on.

So even though I don't think Jay Kelly was the best movie released in 2025 by a long shot, I do feel comfortable in saying it showcases one of my favorite Adam Sandler performances from his entire career. Is this my way of soft-launching an attempt to be Adam Sandler's new friend? I'm not saying that's true, but I'm also pointing to Jay Kelly and thinking I can do a better job than that guy in the friend department.

Jay Kelly is currently available to stream on Netflix. Find out if Adam Sandler will win the Golden Globe when the awards telecast airs on CBS and streams via Paramount+ subscription on Sunday, January 11, 2026.

Ever since the release of Happy Gilmore 2 on Netflix’s 2025 schedule, I’ve been obsessed with the dynamic between Adam Sandler and Bad Bunny. Talk about the dynamite duo I never knew we needed! Their on-screen chemistry was everything; however, with every video and interview that comes out about them, I love them even more. Now, they've taken that adoration and hilarity to a new level as the singer read some of his co-star's iconic lines in Spanish.

Alright, so, in this video from Netflix, Bad Bunny dubbed lines from some of Adam Sandler’s best movies. This included him providing Spanish takes on moments from Murder Mystery, Big Daddy, Leo, Hubie Halloween, Hustle, and, of course, Happy Gilmore 2 (you can watch all these films with a Netflix subscription, by the way). Take a look:

Now, let’s start with this whole concept in general, because it’s brilliant. Bad Bunny showed us his acting chops not only in Happy Gilmore 2 but on SNL too (let’s hope he comes back to host and be musical guest again), and he got to do that again with this. He really gave each take his all – even though most ended in him snickering to himself – and honestly, I was quite impressed.

I was particularly amused by the Murder Mystery clip. The scene featured a very frustrated Sandler talking to Jennifer Aniston’s character about how he could use a lamp as a weapon. Bad Bunny really added anguish to his take on the moment, and like him, I was laughing by the end of his reading.

Then, while he needed two takes at Leo, he honestly killed it in the end. The scene from the animated movie was very wholesome and genuine, and that’s what the singer brought to the moment, too.

My favorite line-reading, though, was by far the Hustle one. First of all, the scene is really funny, as Adam Sandler yells a compliment into his phone, and then asks a random person if that sounded dirty. Then, Bad Bunny’s recreation of it was great, and just like he cracked himself up at the end, I was laughing too. I also just loved that they highlighted one of my favorite movies from the SNL vet that I really believe more folks should watch. (Seriously, if you haven’t seen Hustle, take this as a sign to go watch it.)

Arguably, however, the most entertaining reading goes to Happy Gilmore 2 for a few reasons. First of all, knowing how much Bad Bunny loves Sandler plays into it all, and that fact is amplified by seeing him both in the clip from the movie and this line-reading moment. Secondly, the fact that the musician was saying the lines for technically everyone in the scene, with the exception of Marcello Hernandez, made matters funnier. So, all around, it was a hoot. Plus, it just hammered home my opinion that his character, Oscar the caddy, really is the best part of this sequel.

Overall, these clips of Bad Bunny reading Adam Sandler’s lines in Spanish truly were next level, and it honestly leveled up their bromance in such a fun way. Now, let's hope and pray they do another movie together!

It must be a delight to work on an Adam Sandler movie, no matter how relatively big or small one's role in the production may be. As Happy Gilmore 2 continues its run as one of the biggest 2025 movie releases, its collaborators are able to share the love without having to worry about spoiling anything. You can add celebrity chef Guy Fieri to that list, as his appearance in the long awaited legacyquel led to him having such a fun time, he could have put it on a flip flop.

The mayor of Flavortown has a brief cameo in the current streaming hit, and he took to Instagram to share photos of his efforts both on and off the set. It was all in service of his gratitude, which Fieri shared in the following caption:

As far as Mr. Fieri's wardrobe is concerned, I highly doubt that Adam Sandler's love of baggy clothes would have allowed him to try and dress the Food Network personality in anything other than his usual attire. Plus, you can definitely see Happy Gilmore 2’s villain Frank Manatee (Benny Safdie) indeed taking a pour from a bottle of Santo Tequila Blanco.

So the Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives host lent more than his larger than life personality to this Netflix subscription driver. (I mean, how do you chase a Subway partnership like the one in the original film's pre-Jared tie-ins?)

This anecdote comes not too long after we learned about Bad Bunny and Adam Sandler goofing off on the Happy Gilmore 2 set; which is also as adorable as you’d think. So one could see a pattern forming, which when you think about it stretches as far back as that time we all learned that vacation destinations influenced Sandler’s project choices.

I’ll admit I’ve softened on that fact over the years, because the fun does really seem to shine through in Happy Madison’s finest. Even when there isn’t a far-flung destination involved, like in the Massachusetts based Hubie Halloween, Adam Sandler’s cast of friends are comfortable enough that any newcomer could easily find themselves in a loose and goofy mood.

So much so that even in the case of Nikki Garcia’s cut Happy Gilmore 2 role, the WWE star/actor still had nothing but good things to say about the picture overall. That’s the sort of energy comedies thrive on, which is another factor that makes Happy Gilmore’s return unsurprisingly popular.

As the partnership between Adam Sandler and Netflix will celebrate its 10th year with The Ridiculous 6’s December anniversary, the winning formula keeps winning. You can currently see that in action with Happy Gilmore 2, which is freshly streaming only on Netflix.

Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore just made his return, thanks to the sequel dropping as part of the 2025 Netflix releases dates last weekend. Not only does the film feature a slew of callbacks to the original, the movie is packed with fun cameos. Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce even players a waiter in the film and, in one scene, he's hilariously licked by a bear while tied up to a pole. Since the movie came out, Taylor Swift fans have been theorizing that the pop star secretly has a cameo alongside her man. So let’s examine the evidence.

There’s A Very Convincing Theory That Taylor Swift Could Have A Secret Cameo In Happy Gilmore 2

Since Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have been an item, the couple have shared a lot of big moments together. So it wouldn't be too wild to think that Swift might have been on set during the filming of Happy Gilmore 2. After all, reports have indicated that the two are getting more serious as a couple. Netflix dropped a BTS video centered around the bear scene, which can be watched below:

So fans have been theorizing that Taylor Swift is actually the person in the bear suit who helps make Kelce’s Happy Gilmore 2 scene so funny. Under the Instagram post, one user commented about it, and the Netflix account dropped an interesting reply. Check it:

• @carolpcgo: “They should've dressed Taylor as a bear for an epic surprise”
• @netflix: "👀"

Interesting, right? Those little eye emojis usually stand for suspicious side-eye, so I don’t blame Taylor Swift fans for reading into the reply. Additionally, Swift (who’s not on social media much these days) wrote the following on her Instagram story last week:

The part of the message that’s got fans up in arms is the fact that she signed off her message with a honey pot emoji. Swift is known for using little clues for fans to decode, so fans have been theorizing that Swift put on a bear suit for a low-key cameo. Yet, as fun and intriguing as this entire theory is, there's one reason why we may not want to put too much stock in it.

I Think One Detail Debunks The Theory

It would honestly be amazing and so on brand if Taylor Swift did make a cameo in Happy Gilmore 2 alongside Travis Kelce. However, there is some solid evidence that would seem to counter that assumption. Check out this screenshot from the credits (which comes complete with my handy dandy arrow):

There you have it. Brandon Alan Smith is credited as the “Bear Performer” in Happy Gilmore 2. In fairness, there have definitely been instances in which Swift has been in projects and changed her name as to not draw attention to herself. However, Brandon Alan Smith has an IMDb page devoted to his acting and stunt work, which seems to add legitimacy to his recent film credit. Either way, we’ll always have this video of Swift in a bear suit from 2020:

While it would have been so good if it was Taylor Swift in the costume, I think we’ve debunked this Swiftie theory. A part of me still loves the idea that Swift did indeed don outfit and join her man on screen. Regardless, you should definitely check out Adam Sandler's new comedy with a Netflix subscription. CinemaBlend gave the movie 4 stars in our Happy Gilmore 2 review.

After nearly 30 years of waiting, the highly anticipated Happy Gilmore 2 has finally landed on the 2025 movie schedule for anyone with a Netflix subscription. The flick is stuffed full of great callbacks and cameos, one of which is Bad Bunny as Gilmore’s new golf caddy, Oscar Mejías. The two have undeniable hilarious chemistry on screen, and now they’re sharing the funny and sweet way the two A-listers met the first time, before Happy Gilmore 2.

In a clip posted to the official YouTube account of Late Night with Seth Meyers, the two dished about how they met. According to the two prolific stars, in their own right, they made eye contact at an LA Lakers game. Adam Sandler set the stage, telling the host:

For Bad Bunny, things were a bit more emotional. The Puerto Rican musician added that, besides being a bit inebriated, he was overwhelmed by the SNL alum knowing who he was. As he hilariously told it:

Sandler was lit with excitement and shock, not realizing how pumped Bad Bunny was. It looks like Bad Bunny had to work hard to keep it together in that moment. Check out their full exchange in the video below!

Bad Bunny isn’t just moonlighting on screen—he’s owning it. His turn as Oscar, Happy Gilmore’s new caddy, is way more than a stunt cameo. He’s magnetic, weirdly charming, and somehow hilarious without needing to say much at all. That might be the real trick: how someone can make a single word—“Breadsticks?”—a recurring punchline that keeps landing harder each time. It’s subtle, dumb in the best way, and entirely his own.

And then there’s Oscar’s cousin, Esteban (played to perfection by SNL standout Marcello Hernandez), whose brief appearance as a would-be caddy spirals into a rapid-fire bit of absurd generosity. It’s pure comic gold—the kind of throwaway gag you’ll find yourself quoting a week later.

I expected Happy Gilmore 2 to be a fun ride full of nostalgia and slapstick—and sure, there’s plenty of both, maybe even a little too much fan service at times. What I didn’t expect was the emotional gut punch. Between the laughs and callbacks, the film quietly explores grief and legacy, honoring the actors who’ve passed since the original. Carl Weathers’ death in particular allegedly reshaped parts of the script, and those rewrites carry real weight. There’s a moment where the tribute is so heartfelt, so sincere, it hit me like I’d just seen the man courtside in real life. It’s a sequel that knows when to swing for the heart, not just the cheap shot.

If you’re a fan like I and Bad Bunny, of Adam Sandler and Happy Gilmore more specifically, then you’re in luck. Gilmore 2 is a fun sequel that respects its core audience and has a ton of laughs.

It’s pretty funny that Bad Bunny and Sandler first crossed paths courtside, with one of them a little tipsy and the other focused on his daughter. That unexpected moment kind of captures what Happy Gilmore 2 is all about: mixing laughs with some real feels, giving a nod to the past while making room for new stuff.

FORE! Below, there are some pretty hefty spoilers for Happy Gilmore 2, which is now streaming with a Netflix subscription.

I grew up watching Happy Gilmore more than pretty much any movie not called Billy Madison. From the first time I watched a copy on VHS at my friend’s house back in the third grade, I was obsessed with this movie and would constantly reference some of the funniest Adam Sandler quotes ever. With Happy Gilmore 2 now out on the 2025 movie schedule, you would think I would be in hog heaven watching the new Netflix original, but that’s where you’d be wrong.

Though I did enjoy some of the callbacks, jokes, silly references, and the show-stealing performance by a certain bad boy of golf, there was something about these homages that turned me off and took me out of the movie. In fact, I was quite annoyed…

The Constant Barrage Of Old Happy Gilmore Clips Whenever There Was A Reference Got Old

It’s one thing to reference Happy Gilmore, which the movie does pretty much nonstop for its nearly two-hour runtime, but it’s another to show a clip from the first movie whenever there’s a callback, character, or random moment referenced in it. At first, I thought this would be done once or twice, which would have helped the uninitiated, but it just kept going.

What’s the point of including a fun little homage as an Easter egg if you’re going to ram it down our throats? I honestly lost count of the number of times the story would stop so we could go back in time and see Shooter McGavin running with the golden jacket, Happy hit the golf ball for the first time, or other moments that already live rent-free in my head. Sure, those scenes for the actors who died before the sequel were great and appreciated, but the rest could have been toned down drastically.

I Love A Great Callback, But This Made Happy Gilmore 2 Feel Like A Clip Show

As pointed out in CinemaBlend’s Happy Gilmore 2 review, the long-awaited sequel has a whole lot of heart, humor, and references to the first film (and other heavyweights from Adam Sandler’s filmography). However, while I do agree that the movie is a love letter to the original, all those clips from the legendary sports comedy made it feel like a clip show at times.

I haven’t gone back to count, but I would be willing to bet that the Happy Gilmore 2 runtime is lengthened by at least four minutes because of all these clips. I wish the movie had been more subtle with its nostalgia, and let us make the connections on our own instead of treating the movie like a sitcom episode at the end of the season.

I don’t think Happy Gilmore 2 is the worst movie I’ve seen all year, and there are parts that I really enjoyed. It’s just that the constant barrage of clips from the first movies was too much for me.

One of the most surprising themes in the recently released Happy Gilmore 2 has to be loss. With the 2025 movie paying tribute to legacy cast members who are no longer with us, there’s a fair amount of heartbreak mixed in with the laughs. However, there’s an easter egg in an early scene from Adam Sander’s Netflix subscription driver I totally didn’t spot - until fans started to point it out.

As Happy Gilmore decides to try to golf again in his Netflix revival, there’s a moment where a golf shack attendant is watching some TV. On first blush you wouldn’t think much of it, but a user from Twitter made a discovery that spotted this inclusion of the late Cameron Boyce:

According to another report from Parade, the moment included in Happy Gilmore 2 was identified as coming from an episode of the Disney Channel series Jessie. Seemingly pulled from Season 2, Episode 11, “A Pain in the Rear Window,” the sequence shows a young Boyce spying on a neighbor with a pair of binoculars.

The late actor who played Adam Sandler’s son in the Grown Ups movies, Cameron Boyce’s untimely passing in 2019 was a shock to fans who had also followed his career through other Disney Channel originals like the Descendants movies. Through the years Sandler and others have offered fond memories in the honor of Boyce, providing a loving reminder that this talent gone before his time is still very much in people’s hearts.

This is yet another entry into the bittersweet lineup of references to Happy Gilmore actors who’ve passed over time, but whose presence can still be felt in the new picture. Our own Corey Chichizola even spoke to the cast about Happy Gilmore 2’s touching memorials, a conversation that highlighted how Happy and nemesis Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald) takes place in a graveyard that literally highlights those dearly departed friends.

I don’t think anyone would have expected the return of Happy Gilmore to be this reflective on mortality. Then again, the story about how rewrites prompted by Carl Weathers’ passing changed Happy Gilmore 2 from its original form does make a lot more sense now. Which only makes Adam Sandler saving a special spot for Cameron Boyce’s memory even more appropriate.

What could have been a return to just jackassing around on a golf course got a little bit deeper over time. Which means that the Happy Gilmore 2 you were expecting might not be the movie you meet on your streaming device of choice.

That may be part of why the critical reception for the picture has been a mixed bag, so keep that in mind as you make your way to the fairway. For those with an open mind, Adam Sandler and company have teed up this experience decades in the making, only on Netflix.

Golf ball-sized spoilers below for anyone who hasn't yet watched Happy Gilmore 2 with a Netflix subscription.

Happy Gilmore may not be considered among the best sports movies in existence, and probably wouldn’t even top lists limited to those starring Adam Sandler, which is an admission I make with abundant wincing. I adore it nonetheless, and perhaps naively had little doubts the character’s return would be just as excellent — an opinion our Happy Gilmore 2 review supports. So I wasn’t exactly surprised to spend the whole runtime laughing, but was surprised by who earned a lot of those laughs.

Because several major cast members passed away after the O.G. comedy’s release — with Carl Weathers’ death sparking late-stage rewrites — Happy Gilmore 2 pays tribute to beloved characters who could not return, while bringing back essentially everyone who could, from Kevin Nealon’s Gary Potter to Dennis Dugan’s Doug Thompson to Shooter McGavin himself, Christopher McDonald. Yet it’s somehow a larger-than-expected supporting role from a real-life golfer that stole the show for me.

John Daly Is My Favorite Happy Gilmore 2 Character, Which Still Feels Weird To Say

Like many Adam Sandler films, Happy Gilmore 2 exists on a plane where reality is heightened but emotions are grounded. Case in point: Virginia's death via golf ball in the opening catch-up mirroring Happy's dad dying via slapshot in the first movie. As such, this is a world where a widowed Happy and his five kids are living with a fictionalized version of real-life golfer John Daly. And it's so damned funny!

Initially, Daly slumming it up in Happy's garage doesn't seem like such a stretch, and I can't even explain why. Perhaps because that bonkers detail is introduced early on with such a casual tone that it's like, 'Well yeah, why WOULDN'T they be living together?" Daly developed a reputation as a rabble-rouser on the golf course with behavior not unlike Happy Gilmore's.

However, Daly becomes more unsavory and feral as Happy gets back into the (golf) swing of things ahead of the Maxi Golf face-off, and it's wild just how many scenes in the movie cut back to him inside Happy's house. Whether he's with the Gilmore kids, Shooter McGavin, Steve Buscemi's weirdo neighbor character, or otherwise, Daly is far more of a supporting character than I ever would have predicted. Whlie I thought he'd be relegated to the banquet scene with all dozens of other real-life golfers appearing, Daly instead became an all-time great Sandler co-star.

Making the role all the more baffling is the fact John Daly has been candid about his real-life struggles with alcoholism throughout his career and much of his adult life, which adds a strange layer to all the jokes about Happy's own boozing. Not to mention his endless supply of secret flasks throughout the house, which Daly makes attempts to seek out while also pumping hand sanitizer into his mouth. I can't explain why it's so funny for that specific act to punctuate a scene, but it works.

It all works, in fact, to the point where I now won't be too surprised if Adam Sandler gets John Daly back for whatever his next Happy Madison movie is. Maybe he can be brothers with Blake Clark's homeless beachcomber.

Extremely Honorable Mention Goes To Bad Bunny's Oscar

Bad Bunny has already proven himself to be as multi-talented on screen as he is with music, so it's less surprising that his debut as Happy's new caddy Oscar is such a delight to watch. Perhaps the biggest surprise here is that Oscar is able to get so many laughs without having a whole lot of dialogue to play around with.

The fact that Bad Bunny is able to make the line "Breadsticks?" work as a punchline across multiple scenes is as much an indication of his skills as anything. Just thinking about Oscar introducing his cousin Esteban (SNL's Marcello Hernandez) as his own caddy is enough to make me start giggling. As is Esteban's extreme generosity after it's clear he won't be anyone's caddy.

I don't know if we'll get to see any further adventures from Happy Gilmore & Co., but I'm grateful that all involved took the time to make sure this long-awaited sequel was worthy of the wait. Also, if there ever IS another sequel, maybe it'll be one where Ben Stiller's Hal L. swallows a grenade and explodes.

Happy Gilmore 2 just dropped on Netflix, and while it’s probably not going to win any Oscars, most fans seem to be really pleased with the sequel, me included. It’s a goofy good time with some big laughs and a ton of cameos and returning characters. It also includes one big WTF death scene that left me and the actress involved absolutely shocked.

Before we get into that though, we need a big fat spoiler warning here. If you haven’t watched Happy Gilmore 2 yet, there’s no reason you should be reading this article. Just go watch it right now. It’s free to stream on Netflix, and it’s absolutely worth two hours of your time if you care about the first movie at all.

Now that the spoiler warning is out of the way, I’m, of course, talking about Virginia’s shocking death at the very beginning of the movie. Our hero literally kills her with one of his long drives, which causes him to give up golf and take up drinking. The rest of the movie is a long redemption arc, which features beyond the grave cameos from Virginia.

I couldn’t believe it when I watched the movie. I thought for like ten seconds it was going to be a dream sequence or some kind of weird throwaway joke, but no, she’s fully dead. It turns out Julie Bowen had a similar reaction. She was on vacation with her family and trying to read the script on her phone when she came across her character’s death. Initially she thought she may not have been reading it right. Here’s what she told People…

I suspect a lot of fans watching the movie reacted with shocked laughter. Social media was filled with WTF tweets from viewers who did not see the moment coming at all when they first watched it. I was among them, but the more I think about it, the more I’m totally fine with the decision. Virginia is obviously a great character and it’s tough to lose her, but Happy Gilmore is all about our lead character losing his cool. His wife is the only person who is able to calm him down, which is why losing her is such a good catalyst for bad behavior.

Bowen was ultimately fine with the decision too, which she told Sandler immediately after reading it. The two connected during her vacation, and she gave an enthusiastic thumbs up…

You have to give Bowen credit for really committing to the whole thing here too. She came back and did a lot of press, as if she was a main star in the entire movie. She even talked repeatedly about how pleased she was to be invited back. Normally actors don't do press if they only return for a small role. I’m glad she did though, because had she not, we all would have been wondering what was going on with Virginia, which would have made the moment less impactful.

Spoilers ahead for Happy Gilmore 2.

Adam Sandler is a beloved comedian and actor, who has put out a number of truly iconic movies throughout the years. In the past few years he's been releasing a number of projects for those with a Netflix subscription, and the latest upcoming Adam Sandler movie to finally arrive is Happy Gilmore 2. The sequel is a love letter to the original, and pays homage to Carl Weathers and other actors who died before it could begin production. And actor Christopher McDonald aka Shooter McGavin spoke to CinemaBlend about the way the sequel honors them.

Happy Gilmore is one of the best Adam Sandler movies in my opinion, so I was thrilled when I got to speak to Sandman and and other members of the cast ahead of the sequel's release. The sequel features a ton of returning characters, and also pays tribute to those who are no longer with us. As you can see in the video above, I spoke to McDonald about this aspect of the film, where he told me:

It's been 29 years since the original Happy Gilmore, and unfortunately we've seen a number of beloved actors from the original move pass away during that time. And while Carl Weathers famously died 2024, he isn't the only one that's died. Frances Bay passed away in 2011 and Joe Flattery followed suit in 2024. Additionally, Richard Kiel died back in 2014 at the age of 74.

Adam Sandler and company pays respect to every one of these actors throughout Happy Gilmore 2, which helps add to the movie's heart. Happy has a photo of his Grandma Gilmore in his car, while Flattery and Kiel both appear in flashbacks and get spiritual successors in the new movie. What's more, the sequel's ending sees all the characters who died wave goodbye to Happy. While this mirrors the original film's bonkers ending, it has even more meaning given the real-life losses.

Chris McDonald shared his reaction to the way this was included in the sequel, telling me:

He's not wrong. CinemaBlend's review of Happy Gilmore 2 (which I personally wrote) also praised how much heart is in the goofy comedy. It does this in big ways by honoring actors from the original who passed away (including Bob Barker), as well as the main story itself.

When we meet Happy after all these years, he's in sorry shape. He's an alcoholic, using booze to numb the guilt and grief of Virginia's death. But as the Happy Gilmore 2 trailer shows, he decides to sober up and get back to golfing in order to help his beloved daughter Vienna go abroad to ballet school.

What follows is a family-driven story, including the ways that Julie Bowen's Virginia is included despite her character's death. McDonald spoke on that subject as well, offering:

He's not wrong. Maybe I'm just a softie or a hardcore Happy Gilmore fan (or both), but I found myself surprisingly emotional at a few points during the sequel. In my opinion that's always been one of Adam Sandler's biggest strengths; while he creates silly, goofy movies, there's usually a story with heart underneath all the laughs.

Happy Gilmore 2 is available now on Netflix as part of the 2025 movie release list. Sandler has been on a roll on the streaming service, so we'll have to see if this long-awaited sequel has the same success.

Adam Sandler absolutely crushed it with his 1996 sports comedy Happy Gilmore, which decades later is still beloved as one of the best movies of the ‘90s. That makes its sequel, Happy Gilmore 2, both highly anticipated and a risky venture. Now, as it hits the 2025 movie calendar on July 25, critics are weighing in on the final product. So is it a hole-in-one or will it make you want to take off your skate and try to stab somebody?

The story sees Happy Gilmore return to the golf course after nearly 30 years to earn money to pay for his daughter Vienna’s (Sunny Sanders) ballet school. Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald and Ben Stiller are among the actors reprising their roles for the new Netflix movie. In CinemaBlend’s review of Happy Gilmore 2, Corey Chichizola says it’s everything he was hoping for, with plenty of plot twists, cameos, constant humor and an emotionally impactful story. He gives it 4 out of 5 stars and says:

Jeff Ewing of Collider agrees, rating the movie 7 out of 10. Adam Sandler skillfully balances the old characters with the new, providing comedy and heart in equal measure, the critic says. The multitude of cameos are fun, but it borders on distracting at times. Ewing concludes:

Kate Erbland of IndieWire is mostly on board with Happy Gilmore 2 (available to stream with a Netflix subscription), grading it a B-. It’s not a hole-in-one, she says, but it sinks some solid shots with wacky gags and surprising sadness:

Frank Scheck of THR doesn’t pull punches when saying that Happy Gilmore 2 is a “terrible” movie, retreading the original with the same actors, the same soundtrack and constant callbacks. The sequel is “moronic, witless and relentlessly vulgar,” according to the critic, which is to say Happy Gilmore fans will love it. He continues:

Ethan Anderton of SlashFilm says Happy Gilmore 2 takes a big swing but completely whiffs it by doing something unforgivable in the opening sequence from which it can never recover. The sequel is, per the critic, “a poor excuse for nostalgic comedy, and you'd have more fun getting a colonoscopy with a rake.” Anderton gives it a 2 out of 10, writing:

With an original movie that’s considered such a classic, Happy Gilmore 2 had a pretty high bar to meet, so I’m not surprised that critics are having trouble finding common ground.

It sounds like we can expect tons of jokes, cameos and callbacks, as well as some pretty emotional story beats, and regardless of how well they all work, I don’t think any number of bad reviews would keep fans of the original from checking this one out. This sequel is now available to stream on Netflix.

Spoilers ahead for Happy Gilmore 2.

Adam Sandler has a number of beloved movies on his long resume, including Happy Gilmore. The 1996 sports comedy (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription) is arguably one of Sandler's best rom-coms, thanks to the title character's love story with Julie Bowen's Virginia Venit. She reprised that role for Happy Gilmore 2, and recently spoke to CinemaBlend about her reaction to the OG movie's lingerie scene... and how it factored into the sequel.

What we knew about Happy Gilmore 2 has been limited ahead its release on Netflix, with Sandman and the gang trying to guard the long-awaited sequel's secrets. That includes the way Virginia is used, a huge twist comes her way early on in the Adam Sandler movie. As you can see in the video above, I had the privilege of speaking with the cast ahead of the sequel's release, where I asked Bowen about that iconic lingerie scene from the original. She told me:

She's not wrong. Virginia is a buttoned-up professional for Happy Gilmore, so seeing her in lingerie carrying two huge pitchers of beer in the "Happy Place" was a hilarious departure. And per our conversation, that was one of the big reasons that the Modern Family star wanted to sign onto the 1996 original.

Happy Gilmore 2 is chock-full of easter eggs and references to the original movie, with Sandler even using the same soundtrack. We also briefly see OG Virginia back in the lingerie, with current-day Bowen getting to share a scene with her younger self. In our same interview, she spoke more about that iconic scene, sharing:

Of course, Bowen didn't actually have to suit back up in the white lingerie. Or if she did, it ended up on the cutting room floor. Instead we got to see both version of Virginia share the screen together. And it was yet another way that Happy Gilmore 2 feels like a love letter to the original.

Julie Bowen was only featured briefly in Happy Gilmore 2's trailer, and it becomes clear early onto the movie. Still, it's exciting that so many original actors are back for the sequel, including Christopher McDonald, Kevin Nealon, Dan Patrick and Verne Lundquist. In our interview Julie Bowen further shared her support of Virginia's appearance in the "Happy Place", telling me:

Anticipation for the long-awaited comedy is high, and the original Happy Gilmore has been trending on Netflix ahead of its release. Julie Bowen returning as Virginia proved to fans that the spirit of the first movie would continue, and I can tell you there are countless references and easter eggs to the first one.

Happy Gilmore 2 will arrive on Netflix on July 25th as part of the 2025 movie release list. We'll just have to see if the movie inspires Adam Sandler to produce more sequels to his beloved '90s hits like Billy Madison or The Waterboy.

Adam Sandler has been a comedy icon for decades now thanks to his impressive tenure on Saturday Night Live and slew of hit movies. His big screen efforts from the '90s have remained endlessly quotable as the years have gone by, especially classics like Billy Madison, The Waterboy, and Happy Gilmore. The latter finally got its long-awaited sequel as a result of the Sandman's ongoing work with Netflix, and the pressure has definitely been on for the project to deliver. And as a hardcore fan of the original, I have to say that Happy Gilmore 2 is everything I wanted it to be.

In the 1996 original Happy Gilmore, Sandler's title character is a failed hockey player who begrudgingly starts playing golf to save his grandmother's house. His ability to drive at a record-breaking distance put him above the rest, and after learning how to putt, he became a real contender. All sorts of shenanigans happened along the way, including falling in love with Virginia (Julie Bowen) and creating a bitter rivalry with Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald). So exactly how does the story continue?

Happy Gilmore 2 picks up 29 years after the events of the original, and we see what happened to Happy and the rest of the gang. It turns out that life has hit Sandler's protagonist hard, and he's struggling to provide for the family he and Virginia created together. After years of being retired from golfing, he once again takes up the club (and hockey stick) in an attempt to make enough money to send his daughter Vienna (Sunny Sandler) to ballet school in Europe. What results is a love letter to the original movie that will delight fans, featuring equal parts heart and comedy. While it hits nostalgic beats with a non-stop supply of laughs and easter eggs, there's also an emotional story its heart.

I don't want to give away any of Happy Gilmore 2's plot twists (of which there are many), but there are a ton of surprises throughout its 114-minute runtime. This is particularly true for the storylines involving Shooter and Virginia, with Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald expertly jumping into their characters all the years later. Combine its story with the sheer amount of jokes in the sequel, and the sequel truly flies.

The laughs in the long-awaited sequel are constant and delightful.

Adam Sandler is first and foremost a comedian, even if he's able to pull off moving performances in projects like Uncut Gems and Click. And as such, Happy Gilmore 2 has a constant stream of hilarious moments, all of which feel specific to this burgeoning franchise. Sandler is able to once again show off his physical comedy talents, especially as Happy struggles when getting back into golf.

There are some solid running jokes that never get old in Happy Gilmore 2, showing just how much director Kyle Newacheck and writers Sandler and Tim Herlihy understand what makes these characters great. The latter two wrote and created the original movie, and they once again strike gold with their return to this zany universe.

Case in point: the wild lengths that Happy goes to hide liquor all around his home. Almost every piece of furniture is a secret flask, which he helps himself to while struggling in the first half of the movie. Happy's penchant for violent rage also returns... and is passed on to his rowdy group of sons. Seriously, the whole family needs to find their happy place. Overall, Happy Gilmore 2 is a comedic triumph, somehow managing to meet the high expectations left by the original's success.

Happy Gilmore 2 is a love letter to the original.

Happy Gilmore 2 goes out of its way to make itself accessible for those who have never seen the 1996 original. There are a number of quick flashbacks to the first movie, which provide context for some of the easter eggs that are included in the sequel. Still, it feels like Newacheck's comedy is truly for the fans, so don't expect any beloved reference or quotable line to be excluded: it's really all there.

From the very first frame of the sequel, it's clear that the spirit of the OG Happy Gilmore is there. Just like the first film, we open on Lynyrd Skynyrd's track "Tuesday's Gone" as Adam Sandler narrates his character's story. There are a ton of returning characters as well; in fact, just about anyone you can imagine from the 1996 comedy classic ends up popping back up throughout its runtime. This includes Ben Stiller's villainous Hal L., who is tormenting Happy by running his support group. Unsurprisingly he absolutely destroys this appearance, which comes shortly after Stiller reprised the same role in Hubie Halloween.

Despite being jam packed with cameos and easter eggs from the original, Happy Gilmore 2 somehow manages to squeeze it all in without weighing down the comedy. The movie is not too long, and delivers everything that hardcore fans like myself have been hoping for.

Decades later, Happy’s story is still chock full of heart.

While Happy Gilmore 2 is a silly comedy like its predecessor, it's also got a ton of heart to help buoy the movie in real feeling. Happy's love for his kids is palpable, and the whole reason he goes back to golf is to provide for his daughter. And the fact that Sandler's real-life daughter is playing Vienna only adds to its emotional impact.

Without giving away spoilers, the sequel also pays tribute to the various cast members who have passed away in the decades between the Happy Gilmore movies. This only adds to the overall movie's emotional impact, as fans are able to share their love for late icons like Carl Weathers, Frances Bay, Joe Flaherty, and more. The first movie is a title that means a great deal to both fans and the cast/creatives, so these nods to those who are no longer with us cut deep.

As funny as Happy Gilmore 2, this care for its history is quite moving. And while we we're treated to cameos from celebs like Bad Bunny, Margaret Qualley, Travis Kelce and more, it's the way that legacy characters are handled that helps to ground the story and give it a real emotional impact.

Overall, Happy Gilmore 2 is a total joy, and one deserving of another gold jacket. And after this, I'd trust Adam Sandler and company to bring sequels to more of his catalogue. I guess I've found a new happy place.

Being a celebrity doesn’t make you immune to being cut from a 2025 movie like Happy Gilmore 2. Much like John Malkovich’s deletion from The Fantastic Four: First Steps, there’s a new entry on the list of cut content fans are going to want to see. Sadly, WWE superstar Nikki Garcia is the latest actor to be left on the cutting room floor, as her part in the Happy Gilmore 2 cast was severely cut down.

Engaging in some bittersweet feelings during the latest episode of SiriusXM’s The Nikki & Brie Show, Nikki and her sister Brie talked about the whirlwind experience that saw the former attending the big premiere for this Netflix subscription driver. While she didn’t know for sure what her cinematic fate would be, she did share some early indicators that saw this revelation not totally catching her by surprise:

After listening to one half of The Garcia Twins go into her premiere journey, which included a very expensive Uber to pick up some casual sports attire, the end result really is a bummer. That sentiment is only amplified when we learn, in response to Brie Garcia’s query on when she found out, that Nikki only confirmed she was cut while she was watching Happy Gilmore 2.

While Nikki Garcia maintained her gratitude through this story, she is only human. Describing her upset in a little more detail, the recently returned WWE personality balanced out her sadness with some praise for the finished product:

Nikki Garcia’s candor on social media and in interviews has shown us that she’s not afraid to share her true feelings at any moment. So reading her genuine excitement about the movie, even in the face of her own sadness, helps bring us all back to the green with happiness. Which makes the final upside a nice cap to the anecdote at hand.

Fans of Ms. Garcia will still be able to see her in the picture, alongside fellow wrestling phenoms like Becky Lynch - and you can even get a taste of what’s to come. In fact, you can still see her in Happy Gilmore 2’s trailer if you skip to 01:44 in the video below:

Oh, I totally want to see the cut footage from this rowdy bunch of golf spectators. At the same time, I’m totally looking forward to this long-awaited Happy Gilmore legacy-quel - which is set to debut this Friday, only on Netflix.

Happy Gilmore is one of Adam Sandler's best rom-coms, and is arguably one of the most iconic titles from his long resume. The next upcoming Sandler movie is a long-awaited sequel for that title, which is arriving this week for those with a Netflix subscription. I had the chance to catch and early screening, and asked Sandman why so many of the songs from the original made their way to Happy's second movie adventure.

What we know about Happy Gilmore 2 has been limited thus far, as Netflix and Sandler are hoping to guard the secrets of the follow-up. As you can see in the video above, I had the privilege of speaking with Sandler and Julie Bowen ahead of its release. I asked about the repeats in the soundtrack, and he told me:

Honestly, this tracks (no pun intended). Music has a strange way of bringing people back to a certain time, and Adam Sandler has always brought memorable soundtracks to his movies. And fans who have re-watched Happy Gilmore over and over again will likely be struck by the way the same needle drops are used in the sequel.

The Happy Gilmore 2 trailer featured one such song, namely Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Tuesday's Gone." This song opened the original movie, and it does the same for the sequel. In our conversation Sandler brought that track up specifically, saying:

He's not wrong. The nostalgic feels for Happy Gilmore 2 are real, as it feels like a love letter to the 1996 original. In my screening I could see other fans get excited when they heard the same songs, as well as every little easter egg and reference to the first movie. Now I'm curious to see if certain tracks end up being streamed more after the new project is released.

Happy Gilmore 2 is one of the most highly anticipated titles on the 2025 Netflix release list. Adam Sandler has been finding a ton of success with his movies for the streaming service, which include Hubie Halloween and and the Murder Mystery franchise. Happy Gilmore has a legacy all its own, and the first movie has been trending on Netflix as fans prepare for the sequel. At the time of writing this story, it's currently #4 among all of Netflix's vast catalogue of movies.

It certainly seems like Happy Gilmore 2 is set up for success, and we'll see how well it ultimately performs when it arrives on Netflix on July 25th as part of the 2025 movie release list.

Next week, Adam Sandler fans will finally get the movie sequel they’ve been waiting for. Happy Gilmore 2 will come to Netflix on July 25, and in addition to a host of celebrity cameos that we expect to see, several of the favorite characters from the first film will also return. Unfortunately, one important character will be conspicuous by his absence.

Carl Weathers, who played Chubbs Peterson in the first Happy Gilmore, passed away in 2024 and thus was not able to be part of the sequel. Speaking with Collider, Sandler reveals that Weathers’ death forced huge changes in the new movie, as Chubbs was originally set to be a significant part of the sequel. Sandler said…

It sounds like the version of Happy Gilmore 2 we will watch with a Netflix subscription when it premieres on the 2025 movie schedule is a very different film from the one we would have gotten if Carl Weathers were still with us. Adam Sandler says the entire story had to change following Weathers' death. While Chubbs will still be in the movie in spirit, as the SNL alum says, the character will be referenced throughout the movie, things had to change when the character couldn’t be on camera.

Adam Sandler revealed an early idea for Happy Gilmore 2, that actually would have included the character of Chubbs having died, but also would have required Carl Weathers' participation. The star says the original concept for the film would have focused on Chubbs’ son, but would have also included Chubbs himself in a series of dream sequences. Sandler said…

It’s unclear if this was the concept for Happy Gilmore 2 when Carl Weathers passed away, or if this idea had already been changed or scrapped before that point. Happy Gilmore 2 had been rumored for years prior to its official announcement, and likely went through a lot of changes. Either way, things had to change once Weathers died, forcing what sounds like a complete overhaul into the movie that we’re getting.

The Happy Gilmore 2 trailer reveals that actor Lavell Crawford will be playing the son of Chubbs Peterson, who will also have a prosthetic hand like his father. The scene confirms that Chubbs has passed away. There’s also a scene with the returning Shooter McGavin that appears to take place in a cemetery, which might also be a scene dealing with Chubbs.

While Carl Weathers may not be part of Happy Gilmore 2 as originally intended, the actor will clearly be remembered in the story and missed by the fans.

When it comes to A+ sports movies and their stars, Adam Sandler and golf are a natural hole in one. Especially with his hotly anticipated soon-to-arrive Happy Gilmore 2 right around the bend, packed with actual pros. You’d think he’d have nothing but all things golf on the mind. But the Sandman pulled a fast one on us, and used an entirely different stick-and-ball game when talking about working with daughters Sadie and Sunny on set.

With the countdown on for Sandler’s on the 2025 Netflix streaming guide, the funnyman chatted with E! News. Aside from the hotly anticipated sequel, the conversation gravitated toward family matters and how relieved he feels when his kids do well on set. Surprisingly though, the All-American treasure zigged to a baseball analogy to convey his thoughts opposed to an assumed golf one, with a good laugh he shared:

Leave it to Sandler in keeping us on our toes even off the fairway, even in the midst of a compliment. It’s just surprising the missed bits of fun in equating their ability to steer clear of any bunkers, rough or whiffing (and plenty more green to cover)! Regardless, it’s the off-the-wall energy we’ve all come to love from the comedy icon and his work (and online presence, a la his tribute to the HG alligator passing).

As the conversation continued, the Saturday Night Live alum also shared, sans any athletic equivalents, he’s careful to avoid sharing unsolicited advice with his kids. He revealed he’d only step into talk shop if Sadie or Sunny sought it out, and his main concern was with how they felt overall. In his words:

I love that, outside of his keen agility to drop a ‘fore!’ worthy humorous baseball-themed compliment, he’s so person-first when it comes to anyone on set. The slew of Happy Gilmore 2 cast mates' praise alone has highlighted just how real the 50 First Dates alum is across the board. From Ben Stiller's return, highlighting their longstanding friendship, to set newcomer Bad Bunny’s rave reviews and his new relationship with the sequel’s lead, Sandler shows up for them all.

Now, we’ll just have to wait until July 25 to see if Adam Sandler or his girls have any more surprising curveball moments waiting for us in Happy Gilmore 2 (which will be streaming with a Netflix subscription). But, from the sounds of it, we should expect nothing less than a condor in how it delivers.

Before Julie Bowen was primarily known for being a part of the all-star cast of Modern Family, she got her big break by playing Virginia in Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore. For those who need a refresher, the public relations director who ends up becoming the main love interest in the film. Now, as Bowen reunites with Sandler for a sequel for a sequel to the beloved sports comedy, she's opening up about landing the role in the OG film and what set her apart from some of the other gorgeous girls who auditioned.

During a recent interview on the Inside of You podcast, Bowen reflected on her career beginnings, and how starring alongside Sandler in Happy Gilmore was a major career turning point for her. When asked about the auditioning process, she revealed that she ended up seeing some familiar faces she’d been up against before, and became self conscious about her look when she started comparing herself to her competition. Bowen said this about the "super sexy girls" she encountered:

Julie Bowen herself is notably very gorgeous, so she is clearly selling herself very short when comparing herself to the other young women who were auditioning. Nevertheless, she seemed to be under the impression that the casting directors wanted a bombshell to play Virginia. However, as the fan-favorite actress learned from her audition, that was far from the case. She said:

In Hollywood, sex sells, but it’s not always at the forefront. What the casting directors saw that day was probably what audiences have seen as Julie Bowen’s career has grown. She's more than just a pretty face. Bowen is hilarious and smart and, on top of that, she possesses grade-A comedic timing. She also had great chemistry with Adam Sandler, which is hard when his role transcends the ridiculous. Bowen was a star, and, thankfully, the casting directors recognized this.

It's because Julie Bowen is so fantastic in Happy Gilmore that she was, of course, asked back for the sequel (and she didn't even if she think she’d return). The upcoming 2025 film follows Adam Sandler’s Happy as he returns to golf after his retirement in order to pay for his daughter’s ballet school. Based on the trailers for Happy Gilmore 2, Bowen is as stunning and hilarious as ever, and I can’t wait to watch her return to the role. I'm looking forward to seeing Bowen share the screen with Sandler again, and kudos to the producers for spotting her talent all those years ago.

Check out Julie Bowen in Happy Gilmore 2 when the film becomes available with a Netflix subscription on July 25th. In the meantime, fans can revisit the beloved original Happy Gilmore film on the platform as well, in anticipation for the long awaited sequel.

Some might argue that a scene from a film or TV series that turns out to have existed all in a character’s head is a cop out. Maybe that’s true in some respects, but when done right and without misleading intentions, dream sequences can be used as a great opportunity to let artists run wild with their imaginations, resulting in some of a title’s most memorable moments. Here are some of the most wonderfully surreal scenes from the big and small screen that may have had you questioning if you had entered dreamland.

Dawn Haunts Renton (Trainspotting)

Director Danny Boyle's 1996 adaptation of Irvine Welsh's novel Trainspotting follows a group of Scottish addicts trying to get clean, none of whom has a harder time with it than Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor). One signature scene sees him locked in his childhood bedroom by his parents and forced to wean off his habit cold turkey, during which he suffers an intense fever dream featuring hallucinations of his parents on a game show, his various friends, and the spirit of a deceased infant he once knew climbing on his ceiling.

Bruce Wayne's Alternate Life (Batman: The Animated Series)

One of the best episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, let alone one of the strangest, is "Perchance to Dream." As part of a scheme by Mad Hatter, Bruce Wayne finds himself living in a fantasy in which his parents were never murdered, he is engaged to Selina Kyle, and someone other than him is protecting the streets of Gotham as Batman.

Sarah's Apocalyptic Nightmare (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

One thing that makes the classic sci-fi movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day one of the all-time greatest sequels is the way it depicts Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and her growth as a character following the traumatic events of the first film, especially through one wild fantasy sequence. In the dream, she witnesses her happier past self and other bystanders at a park where they suffer a nuclear blast that ends up burning off her skin, leaving her remaining skeleton clinging to a chain-link fence.

All Of Season 9 (Dallas)

Dallas delivered one of the craziest retcons in TV history when it was revealed that the death of Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) and the entire ninth season of the hit primetime soap opera all happened in the head of his wife, Pamela (Victoria Principal). The retcon was prompted after Duffy, who had previously left the show, agreed to return for Season 10, which opens with Pamela waking up to find Bobby in the shower.

Happy's Happy Place (Happy Gilmore)

The classic golf movie, 1996's Happy Gilmore, stars Adam Sandler in the title role of a guy with a talent for tee time, but the rage of a hockey player, which his trainer, Chubbs (Carl Weathers), tries to help him control by envisioning his own "happy place." He imagines his girlfriend, Virginia (Julie Bowen), carrying drink pitchers, his grandmother (Frances Bay) finding the money she needs from a slot machine, and a little cowboy riding an old-fashioned bicycle, for some reason. However, a later attempt to escape into this fantasy world is interrupted by the invasion of his nemesis, Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald).

The Solomons Suffer From Bizarre Dreams (3rd Rock From The Sun)

The two-part Season 2 finale of 3rd Rock from the Sun tried something unique by airing in 3D, but saving that format for some incredibly insane sequences. The surreal, avant garde scenes are dreams that Dick (John Lithgow) and the rest of his extra-terrestrial comrades are experiencing, but for the first time since taking human form, which leads them to assume they are ill.

Old Blue Saves The Day (A Christmas Story)

The classic holiday movie, 1983's A Christmas Story, follows young Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) and his devotion to making sure he finds an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle under the tree. He seems to believe that it will make his life better, based on a daydream in which he, dressed as a hero named Old Blue, uses the BB shooter to rescue his family from criminals.

The Opening Scene (8 1/2)

Federico Fellini's signature 1963 film opens with a bizarre dream in which the main character gets trapped in his smoke-filled car in full-stop, literal bumper-to-bumper traffic. After he finally escapes, it cuts to him flying through the clouds until he is pulled down by his ankle by a person on a beach, and descends into the water just as he awakens.

Gutterballs (The Big Lebowski)

There are two great dream sequences from Joel and Ethan Coen's hilarious, classic '90s movie, 1998's The Big Lebowski, the first of which sees The Dude (Jeff Bridges) flying over L.A. trying to reach his stolen rug after receiving a crack on the jaw. However, the more memorable scene sees him, after being sedated by Jackie Treehorn, imagining he is the star of a Busby Berkeley-inspired adult film about bowling.

The Entire Series (Newhart)

One of the most iconic, oft-parodied, and simply best TV series finales is that of Newhart, in which the actor and comedian wakes up in bed as Bob Hartley, his role from his first hit sitcom, The Bob Newhart Show. His co-star from said 1970s hit, Suzanne Pleshette, wakes up next to him as Hartley's wife, Emily, and he explains to her that his entire life as Vermont innkeeper Dick Loudon was a dream.

Rosemary Drifts On A Mattress (Rosemary's Baby)

Some of the best horror movies include a dream sequence that sneaks up on you with its more nightmarish qualities, such as in 1968's Rosemary's Baby. The first half of Rosemary's (Mia Farrow) dream is somewhat peaceful, showing her lying on a mattress floating on a bed of water, but in the second half of the dream, she is attacked by a demon. To make matters worse, that occurrence might not be part of the dream at all.

Buffy's Slaying Is A Delusion? (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

Sarah Michelle Gellar's title hero from Buffy the Vampire Slayer has likely wished that her life could be free of encounters with bloodsuckers, demons, and all kinds of things that go bump in the night, but she probably never wanted to experience it the way she does in Season 6's "Normal Again." Buffy becomes exposed to a demonic, hallucinogenic venom that causes her to become trapped in a fantasy in which she is a mental patient, and her life of fighting paranormal activity has been all in her head.

Nazi Werewolves (An American Werewolf In London)

Writer and director John Landis' An American Werewolf in London boasts one of the most incredible moments of body horror in cinematic history, but one could argue a crazier moment in the classic werewolf movie happens earlier. While recovering from his animal attack, David (David Naughton) dreams he is back in the States with his family when a group of gun-toting, lycanthropic SS soldiers invade.

Tony Becomes A Salesman (The Sopranos)

Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) experienced multiple, eye-opening dream sequences throughout HBO's run of The Sopranos, including one that took place during most of an entire episode. In Season 6's "Join the Club," a comatose Tony dreams of an alternate life away from the DiMeo Family in which he is an ordinary salesman named Kevin Finnerty.

The Clown Hospital (Pee-wee's Big Adventure)

A movie scene that scared many '80s kids occurs in Pee-wee's Big Adventure when the titular man-child (played by Paul Reubens) has a nightmare about his missing bike. The prized, two-wheel vehicle is picked up in scraps by a group of horrifying harlequins who use unconventional and concerning methods to put it back together again.

Adam's Repeated Death Row Sentence (The Twilight Zone)

All of the best episodes of The Twilight Zone feel like a dream (or a nightmare), but Season 2's "Shadow Play" actually takes place entirely in one. Dennis Weaver stars as a convicted criminal trying to convince the other characters that his condemnation is merely part of a recurring nightmare.

Sue Visits Carrie's Grave (Carrie)

Director Brian de Palma's 1976 adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie ends with one of the most iconic and influential jump scares, which actually inspired the ending of 1980's Friday the 13th. A grieving Sue Snell (Amy Irving) dreams that she is visiting the resting place of her titular telekinetic classmate (Sissy Spacek) where her bloodied arm emerges from the ground and grasps onto her. Sue does not wake up from the nightmare, but is unable to stop screaming in her sleep.

Cooper's First Visit To The Red Room (Twin Peaks)

Most of David Lynch's movies and TV projects feel like long dream sequences, but when depicting Special Agent Dale Cooper's (Kyle MacLachlan) nightmare about the Red Room in an early episode of Twin Peaks, the master of surrealism really goes for it, resulting in a dream sequence more authentic than most. The inexplicably aged-up Coop meets a dancing little person who tells him, in backwards speak, "That gum you like is going to come back in style." He then meets a blonde woman resembling Laura Palmer (played by Sheryl Lee) and asks if she is the murdered teen, to which she responds, also in backwards speak, "I feel like I know her, but sometimes my arms bend back."

Lloyd And Mary's Romance (Dumb And Dumber)

In the 1994 Jim Carrey movie favorite, Dumb and Dumber, while traveling to Aspen, Lloyd Christmas (Carrey) fantasizes that his crush, Mary Swanson (Lauren Holly), will fall for him immediately after he returns her missing briefcase. The daydream continues to show highlights of their imaginary relationship, from a party where Lloyd entertains guests with uproarious tricks (like lighting his flatus on fire), to a romantic dinner where he engages in a cinematic-style kung fu fight.

Elliott '90s Sitcom Fantasy (Mr. Robot)

A top-rated Season 2 of Mr. Robot called "eps2.4_m4ster-s1ave.aes" is depicted predominantly in the style of '90s sitcom and even features a cameo by ALF. However, it is later revealed that this laugh-track-filled fantasy is Elliott's (Rami Malek) dream, and that he has been asleep in a hospital after being violently beaten by Ray Heyworth's (Craig Robinson) goons.

Beauty School Dropout (Grease)

In the 1978 movie musical Grease, Frenchie (Didi Conn) is encouraged to put her cosmetology career on hold and go back to high school by an unexpected person, Frankie Avalon, with a dreamy number called "Beauty School Dropout.'

Kevin Becomes An Assassin (The Leftovers)

In Season 2 of The Leftovers, Kevin (Justin Theroux) is told by Virgil (Steven Williams) that the only way to cure his persistent visions of cult leader Patti Levin (Ann Dowd) is to take his own life. This sends him into a bewildering reality in which he is a contract killer assigned to kill Patti, who is a presidential candidate.

Ronnie Births A Maggot (The Fly)

At one point in the tragic romantic thriller that is David Cronenberg's 1986 remake of The Fly, Ronnie (Geena Davis) discovers she is pregnant with the child of Dr. Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum), who has been transforming into a half-man, half-insect at this time. Her fear of what could be growing inside of her is personified in a nightmare in which, instead of a human baby, she gives birth to a giant larva.

Jeff Lives A G.I. Joe Fantasy (Community)

The best episodes of Community experiment with different genres, such as the time the series put the cast in the world of the '80s-era beloved animated series, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. The action-packed, cartoon setting of "G.I. Jeff" is revealed to be a fantasy Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) has created to cope with turning 40.

Henry Loses His Head (Eraserhead)

In Eraserhead, Henry (Jack Nantz) has a nightmare in which his head falls off his neck, where a new head resembling his mutant child pops out to replace it. Of course, this dream sequence is no more bizarre than anything else that happens in David Lynch's perplexing 1977 debut feature.

Rob Suspects There Is An Alien Invasion (The Dick Van Dyke Show)

In a classic episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show called “It May Look Like a Walnut,” Rob Petrie (Van Dyke) watches an alien invasion movie involving extraterrestrial walnuts and otherworldly visitors without thumbs. The next day, his life begins to resemble the film's plot, until he wakes up that night to discover it was all a dream.

Wayne Meets Jim Morrison (Wayne's World 2)

The plot of the hit 1993 SNL movie Wayne's World 2, in which Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey) put on their own concert, is set in motion when Wayne dreams he is in a desert where he meets the spirit of The Doors frontman, Jim Morrison (Michael Nickles).

Frasier Is Visited By Sigmund Freud (Frasier)

In the Season 4 Frasier episode "The Impossible Dream," the eponymous therapist and radio host (played by Kelsey Grammer) has a suggestive dream about his effeminate colleague, Gil Chesterson (Edward Hibbert). He eventually determines the dream is no more than a task his subconscious gave himself to satisfy his currently unchallenging career, but the episode ends with an even more confusing nighttime encounter with his idol, Sigmund Freud, who joins him in his bed and implies a request for intimacy.

Ray Gets Cooked (The 'Burbs)

In 1989's The 'Burbs, family man Ray (Tom Hanks) initially refuses to believe that his neighbors could actually be the murderous cult that other locals suspect they are. However, he does reach a breaking point when he dreams that they tear through his house with a chainsaw and sacrifice him on a giant barbecue pit.

Cliff's Muppet-Filled Nightmare (The Cosby Show)

One of the weirdest episodes of The Cosby Show involves Cliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby) dreaming that the Muppets have taken over his life.

Alex Gives Birth To His Doppelganger (Junior)

Arnold Schwarzenegger playing a man who becomes pregnant is a pretty intriguing concept on its own. However, things get especially bizarre in 1994's Junior when the actor's character dreams that he has given birth to the spitting image of himself.

D.J.'s SAT Disaster (Full House)

In a Season 6 episode of Full House, D.J. Tanner's (Candace Cameron Bure) stress over the upcoming SATs culminates in a nightmare in which Wheel of Fortune's Vanna White appears to inform her that she has failed the test and will go to Clown University.

Sometimes, you watch a sports movie that is just so good you can’t help but go on your phone the moment after and look up how to play the sport. That’s the power of some of the best sports movies out there – and here are a few that exemplify that perfectly.

Challengers (2024)

This was the first movie that came to my mind when I was generating ideas for this list. While it’s undoubtedly one of Zendaya’s best films, Challengers also gave way to a huge movement of people learning to play tennis, as well as a slew of tennis-related outfits that were everywhere for so long. I’m pretty sure I have, like, five tennis dresses in my closet right now.

A League Of Their Own (1992)

I feel like with baseball, there are always plenty of movies out there, but A League of Their Own is special because it’s one of those movies that inspires girls to really get into the sport of baseball. While these types of movies can inspire anyone, since baseball is a relatively male sport and there are few softball movies out there, it’s a great film to encourage young girls to pick up the sport.

The Sandlot (1993)

Of course, I have to put The Sandlot. It’s arguably one of the biggest sports movies of all time and is considered a favorite of many people, not only those of my age but also older generations. We all want to be playing baseball outside as children after watching this film.

The Karate Kid (1984)

The Karate Kid movies have been around for several decades and continue to inspire many viewers to learn the art of karate. Mr. Miyagi’s teachings have continued into another generation, time and time again.

And to be honest, The Karate Kid is one of those franchises that I don’t think will ever die. You know that saying from Cobra Kai, “Cobra Kai never dies?” Yeah, that’s going to be this franchise. We will forever be seeing kids who want to learn karate thanks to this film, and honestly, I can’t really be upset about that.

Friday Night Lights (2004)

There are many iconic football movies out there, and I’m pretty positive that Friday Night Lights is one of them. I mean, it inspired a whole television show based on it. The movie is the epitome of high school football and the heart that goes into it.

Rocky (And The Sequels) (1976-Onward)

Do I need to say anymore? It’s the Rocky movies, as well as the Creed films. There is nothing quite like seeing an underdog rise to the top and take down big dogs throughout a film franchise. So many people became boxers because of this film.

Major League (1989)

Okay, so the movie itself is goofy and pretty raunchy, but look, it’s a hilarious baseball movie. Major League is one of those films that you watch and end up loving because of how obscene it is – and then you want to go out and whack a stick and ball around, too.

I, Tonya (2017)

Without all the assault stuff, you feel me? I, Tonya, is one of Margot Robbie’s best films – if not her best, next to Barbie, of course – where she truly shines in the starring role. I have to admit that watching figure skating made me want to get out on the ice, even if I have the same amount of coordination that Bambi had when he first learned to walk.

Either way, it’s still a great movie with some amazingly done skating scenes, and anyone who has any interest in skating will undoubtedly want to head to the rink afterwards.

She’s The Man (2006)

Amanda Bynes was genuinely a national treasure in the early 2000s, creating a slew of incredible teen movies that have defined a generation (mine). One of those was She’s the Man, where she pretends to be a boy to join a boys' soccer team when the girls' team is shut down. It’s inspiring, and it's certainly inspired plenty of young women to pick up the sport, including me.

White Men Can’t Jump (1992)

It's another hysterical sports comedy that will make you want to learn the sport while also laughing a lot. White Men Can’t Jump stars Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes, and is a hilarious movie that genuinely makes you want to go out and learn to play basketball – but don’t get into any tussles with those streetballers.

The Fighter (2010)

Arguably one of Mark Wahlberg’s best movies (as well as Christian Bale), The Fighter is another great boxing film based on the real tale of MickyWard and Dicky Eklund and their time in the boxing world. It’s inspiring, dramatic, and hits all the right notes – the perfect recipe to make you want to learn boxing as well.

The Longest Yard (1974)

I literally could not think of any other football movie that fits this list better than The Longest Yard. Starring Burt Reynolds, the film revolves around a football player recruiting prisoners to play a game of football against their guards. It’s a great movie and one that certainly will make you want to play football afterwards, just for fun.

Chariots Of Fire (1981)

While Chariots of Fire inspired one of the most meme-worthy musical scores ever, it’s also an Academy Award-winning movie that amazingly showcases the sport of track and tells a fantastic true story. If you haven’t seen this film, be sure to check it out.

The Mighty Ducks (1992)

Of course, I had to put The Mighty Ducks on here. This movie was a defining kid classic of the 1990s and inspired many people to take up the sport of hockey. The movie was so popular that it spawned an entire franchise.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby (2006)

Okay, so this movie is silly in a lot of ways, but Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a fun racing movie. When you’re not laughing your butt off, some fantastic race scenes are very well done. I’m sure NASCAR got a lot of fans after this.

Caddyshack (1980)

I’m pretty sure Caddyshack is one of the most famous golf movies of all time, and obviously, for good reason. The movie stars comedy legends like Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, and more, and features some great golf sequences that make the sport look that much more entertaining (even if I probably will never play it).

Invincible (2006)

No, I’m not talking about one of the best Amazon Prime TV shows – I’m talking about the sports film that stars Mark Wahlberg, which tells the story of Vince Papale, a real-life football player who played for the Eagles back in the 1970s when he decided to go to a training camp for the Eagles. You’ll be rooting for this team in no time – GO BIRDS!

Hoosiers (1986)

Hoosiers is the type of sports movie that will make you want to shoot baskets the moment the film is done. The movie follows the story of a basketball team in Indiana and their journey to the national championship, but it’s so inspiring you’ll want to learn the game, too.

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)

"If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball," is a classic line from Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. And while there are plenty of inaccuracies about the sport in this film, it’s still a heck of a fun time, and as someone who was in school when this film came out, there was A LOT more dodgeball happening on the courts.

Happy Gilmore (1996)

While we waited years for Happy Gilmore 2, the original is still just as amazing and one that I will always recommend. It’s one of Adam Sandler’s best roles, hilarious, and makes every moment of watching it so funny while also introducing the viewer to the idea of golf.

The Blind Side (2009)

The Blind Side may have generated considerable controversy years later, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that the movie itself remains very inspiring and portrays football in a positive light. It is still one of Sandra Bullock’s best roles and makes you want the NFL season to come back around much quicker.

Raging Bull (1980)

Raging Bull might sound like a terrifying movie, but in reality, it’s a great boxing film. Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, the series tells the story of real-life boxing champion Jake LaMotta and his rise and fall as a professional boxer. It’s iconic in many ways and has won several awards.

Ali (2001)

While Will Smith won the Academy Award for his role in King Richard, he was first nominated for his portrayal of legendary heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali in Ali, which depicted his rise to fame in the 1960s and 1970s. Another inspiring tale that could lead anyone to the ring.

Remember The Titans (2000)

The Remember the Titans cast is utterly iconic, and so is the movie itself. It’s all about integrating two different teams from two other schools in Virginia back in the 1970s, and yes…it gets pretty messy regarding racial tensions, prejudices, and more. However, the movie is inspiring, and so is the sport that inspired it.

Race (2016)

Starring Stephan James, Race is based on the true story of Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, and how he surpassed all odds to do so despite facing years of racial discrimination within the sport. It’s a race movie like no other.

Field Of Dreams (1989)

There are so many great baseball movies out there, but Field of Dreams is an excellent one. I only watched Field of Dreams a few years ago, but it made me want to create a baseball field outside my apartment building if I were able to communicate with baseball players who have passed on. That’s pretty cool.

Secretariat (2010)

Secretariat is a horse racing movie that tells the true story of Secretariat, one of the best (if not the best) racing horses of all time. As someone who loved this movie as a kid, all I wanted to do was go out there and ride a horse. It’s honestly such a fun time.

42 (2013)

There are the greats of baseball, and then there’s Jackie Robinson, one of the legends. 42 is all about that, starring the late Chadwick Boseman as Robinson and telling the legendary baseball player’s story.

Bring It On (2000)

Yes, of course, I had to include a cheerleading movie here because it is a sport, and anyone who tells you otherwise is an idiot. The film, about rival cheer teams, inspired so many young girls to get into cheerleading and showed that anyone could be a cheerleader if they put their heart and soul into it.

Rudy (1993)

If you want to talk about a true underdog story, then Rudy is the film that shows that. The film is based on the real-life story of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, who, despite all odds, managed to play for the Notre Dame football team.

Bend It Like Beckham (2002)

There were a slew of soccer movies in the early years of the 2000s, and Bend it Like Beckham is a fantastic example of one, all about two young women who look for success in the world of soccer (or football, as they call it across the pond and pretty much everywhere else in the world).

The Legend Of Bagger Vance (2000)

The film is a sports fantasy drama that not only teaches you how to play the game but also tells an inspiring story about a former golfer who is coached back to become a legend.

Geez, now I feel like I have to go and sign up for some sports clinics – or maybe rewatch these movies. Where was my popcorn again?

1996's Happy Gilmore is one of Adam Sandler's best rom-coms, being endlessly hilarious and quotable in the decades since its release. It's finally getting a sequel, and hype is high for the upcoming Sandler movie after Happy Gilmore 2's trailer arrived online. Julie Bowen is reprising her role as Virginia Venit, although she recently explained why she thought that wasn't happening. And yes, Sydney Sweeney is involved.

What we know about Happy Gilmore 2 has been evolving as it gets closer to its release those with a Netflix subscription. The first trailer had a ton of callbacks to the original, including a brief appearance by Bowen. The Modern Family star spoke to THR about reprising her role, and hearing a rumor about Sweeney getting a role. In her words:

Virginia is the romantic lead of the original Happy Gilmore, with she and Adam Sandler's titular character connecting throughout its 92-minute runtime. But Bowen assumed that he'd get a new, younger co-star for the sequel... especially as rumors swirled about Sydney Sweeney.

After hearing about said rumors from her child, Bowen tells the outlet about her initial reaction to that (fictional) casting. She joked, saying:

While Happy Gilmore 2 will bring newcomers like Margaret Qualley and Bad Bunny, it's also going to be full of familiar faces. That includes Julie Bowen, as well as Ben Stiller, Christopher McDonald, and Kevin Nealon. And no, Sydney Sweeney isn't expected to have a role.

Exactly how Virginia will factor into the story of Happy Gilmore 2 is largely a mystery, as she only appeared twice briefly in the movie's first trailer. Rather than being a sequel no one asked for, fans have wanted to see Happy and the crew return for years. This means that people will likely be tuning in when it arrives on Netflix, although there is also an expectation to meet.

All will be revealed when Happy Gilmore 2 arrives on Netflix July 25th as part of the 2025 movie release list. Clearly Adam Sandler's on a roll with the streamer and is showing no signs of slowing down.

It is never not a blast to see celebrities make funny cameos in movies or TV shows, or even appear in starring roles, as themselves, especially as a version of themselves that bears little resemblance to their actual personality. Take a look at some of the funniest examples of actors and other artists poking fun at themselves in a hilarious onscreen performance.

Michael Cera (This Is The End)

Each member of the cast of 2013's This Is the End is a celebrity playing an exaggerated version of themselves, but the absolutely wildest of the bunch is Michael Cera. The actor plays dramatically against type as a destructive force of chaos at James Franco's house party... before destructive forces of chaos begin descending upon the entire Earth in Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's blistering apocalyptic satire.

Kate Winslet (Extras)

Co-creator and star Ricky Gervais' Hollywood satire, Extras, boasted a gut-busting rotation of celebrity guest stars playing the most ridiculously antithetical versions of themselves, one of the most memorable being Kate Winslet. Years before she took home an Academy Award for The Reader, the English actor appeared in an episode in which she openly obsesses over finding the role that will win her an Oscar.

Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

Seinfeld cast member Jason Alexander eventually realized that his hopelessly neurotic character, George Costanza, was the fictional alter ego of co-creator Larry David. However, none of George's self-destructive and alienating flaws on the beloved TV sitcom could compare to David's self-parodic portrayal of himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm, on which the comedian would seemingly go out of his way to offend friends, family members, and just about anyone he came into contact with.

Bill Murray (Zombieland)

Out of all the amazing, random Bill Murray cameos to choose from, the most iconic would have to be his appearance in 2009's Zombieland when our four protagonists (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin) stumble upon him while taking refuge in his mansion. It is actually not too much of a stretch to believe that this is how the comedy legend might live during the zombie apocalypse, from dressing himself up as one of the undead to blend in, to citing Garfield as his one regret before succumbing to an accidental shotgun blast.

Bob Barker (Happy Gilmore)

After decades of maintaining a sunny demeanor as the host of The Price is Right, it was shocking to see Bob Barker appear as anything but in his iconic cameo in 1995's Happy Gilmore. Adam Sandler's title character gets fed up with Barker's incessant criticism of his golfing skills, driving him to show him that "the price is wrong," only to discover that the older man has some real fight in him.

Stephen Hawking (The Simpsons)

Influential theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking played himself on The Simpsons on multiple occasions. One of the funnier instances comes from the Season 10 episode, "They Saved Lisa's Brain," in which he clocks Seymour Skinner in the face with a spring-loaded boxing glove built into his wheelchair.

Prince (New Girl)

As New Girl creator Liz Meriwether recalled in an article for Vulture (via Slate), Prince loved the quirky sitcom, which is why he agreed to guest star in an episode that, essentially, portrays him as some sort of mysterious magical guide. Quite frankly, it is hard to think of this portrayal as much of an exaggeration from the late, great pop star's true, legendary persona.

David Hasselhoff (The Spongebob Squarepants Movie)

Even though most young audience members seeing The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie in 2004 likely were not familiar with David Hasselhoff, it still makes perfect sense that the former Baywatch star would come to SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) and Patrick's (Bill Fagerbakke) rescue near the end. The actor uses his body as a motorboat to transport the duo back to Bikini Bottom, which was achieved in part with the use of a frighteningly realistic, double-sized replica, which he later brought home with him.

Zach Galifianakis (Between Two Ferns)

Zach Galifianakis has a great reputation as a wonderful talk show guest, despite his alter ego on Between Two Ferns being an absolute disaster as a talk show host. After years of mercilessly roasting celebrities to their faces on Funny or Die's web series, it inspired a mockumentary-style Netflix original movie in which the Hangover star also got to be the butt of the joke.

Neil Patrick Harris (Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle)

You might as well call Neil Patrick Harris' performance in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle his audition to play Barney Stinson, considering his highly fictionalized alter ego has much more in common with his role in the How I Met Your Mother cast. The Emmy winner goes further with the uproarious portrayal in the sequels, which reveal the actor is only pretending to be gay to better his career.

Nicolas Cage (The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent)

I can understand why Nicolas Cage was initially reluctant to play himself in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, especially for the pretty far-out ways the Academy Award winner pokes fun at himself and his unique career in the film. Then again, it does paint him in a largely positive light and even allows him to be the hero of its irreverent, comedic action plot in the end.

David Bowie (Zoolander)

Admittedly, David Bowie's cameo in Zoolander is relatively tame when compared to his out-of-this-world stage presence. However, the idea of the rock 'n roll legend randomly appearing out of nowhere to help judge an impromptu "Walk Off" between Ben Stiller's eponymous male model and his rival, Hansel (Owen Wilson), is still pretty ridiculous.

James Marsden (Jury Duty)

It takes a special kind of performance as one's self to receive an Emmy nomination for it, and that is what James Marsden achieved with Jury Duty. In the Amazon Prime original reality show, a gentleman named Ronald Gladden is called into serve on a trial he does not know is an elaborate prank on him, involving a cast of actors that includes the X-Men and Sonic the Hedgehog actor as a more vain portrait of himself.

Debra Messing (Bros)

Will & Grace star Debra Messing poked fun at her status as an icon in the gay community with her cameo in the LGBTQIA+ rom-com, Bros. The Emmy winner feels compelled to remind Bobby (Billy Eichner) that she is "NOT GRACE" when he asks her for romantic advice when all she wanted to do was tour his museum.

Keanu Reeves (Always Be My Maybe)

In addition to leading classic action movies like Speed and John Wick, Keanu Reeves has become a cameo king with funny, random appearances, such as in Netflix's 2019 comedy Always Be My Maybe. Marcus (Randall Park) is shocked to discover that his childhood friend, Sasha's (Ali Wong), new boyfriend is the actor, who partially improvised his portrayal as a pretentious weirdo who wears glasses without lenses and asks for a meal inspired by "the concept of time" at a restaurant.

John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich)

John Malkovich's performance in director Spike Jonze's inventive fantasy comedy, Being John Malkovich, is a special case of an actor playing an exaggerated version of himself because he is technically playing multiple roles. One famous scene sees the two-time Oscar nominee entering a portal that leads to his own mind, but places him in a nightmarish world filled with people who have his face and can only speak his last name.

LeBron James (Trainwreck)

LeBron James has made a decent living outside of his professional basketball career by playing fictionalized versions of himself in the likes of Space Jam: A New Legacy and the 2023 House Party remake. However, the movie that started it all was 2015's Trainwreck, which portrays him as the best friend of a doctor (played by Bill Hader) who specializes in treating star athletes.

Olivia Newton-John (Glee)

One of the most memorable guest appearances on Glee was the late Olivia Newton-John. The Grease star showed up on the coming-of-age musical-dramedy a couple of times, in which she is portrayed as extremely rude and "hopelessly devoted" to herself.

Bruce Campbell (My Name Is Bruce)

No matter what role he plays, it is hard to see Bruce Campbell as anything other than the hero of the Evil Dead movies, Ash Williams. The Scream King leans into that reputation in the 2007 horror-comedy movie, My Name Is Bruce (which he also directs), as a hard-drinking, washed-up version of himself who becomes the last hope to save a small Oregon town from a malevolent demon.

Jessica Biel (BoJack Horseman)

Netflix's animated Hollywood satire, BoJack Horseman, is especially famous for its uproarious celebrity cameos, one of the funniest being Jessica Biel. Not only does the former 7th Heaven cast member boldly call out her own career low points, but is also portrayed as the spouse of Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins), whom she leaves for her real-life husband, Justin Timberlake.

Eminem (The Interview)

Earlier in his career, Eminem was criticized for lyrics that were interpreted as homophobic, which he pokes fun at in a hilarious way in Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's The Interview. Arguably the funniest scene in the 2014 comedy sees the Grammy-winning rap artist speaking to talk show host Dave Skylark (James Franco), to whom he very nonchalantly reveals that he is a closeted gay man.

Kelly Ripa (Broad City)

TV personality Kelly Ripa brilliantly mocks her clean image with her cameo on Comedy Central's Broad City. During a visit to the beloved daytime talk show host's apartment, Abbi (co-creator Abbi Jacobson) discovers that she can be a pretty hard partier, especially when cracks open a jar of moonshine.

Ryan Reynolds (Family Guy)

Many celebrities have stopped by to voice appropriately cartoonish versions of themselves on Family Guy, including Ryan Reynolds, who clearly had a lot of fun with his guest spot. He moves in across the street from the Griffins and appears to take an intense liking to Peter (Seth MacFarlane), who begins to suspect that the actor has a crush on him.

Cher (Will & Grace)

In Season 3 of Will & Grace, Jack (Sean Hayes) becomes uncomfortably attached to a doll modeled after Cher, treating it as if it were the real multi-talented icon, much to the chagrin of his friends. When the real Cher appears to voice her concerns about his obsession, Jack mistakes her for a very convincing drag queen.

Carl Weathers (Arrested Development)

Some of Arrested Development's remarkably clever meta humor involved hilarious cameos by celebrities as themselves, most notably Carl Weathers. The Rocky and Predator star's appearances on the cult favorite sitcom saw him dropping clues of being extremely thrifty, to the point that he would save the meat on a mostly eaten rib to make stew.

Dave Grohl (Studio 666)

Each member of Foo Fighters willfully takes aim at themselves in the 2022 musical horror-comedy movie, Studio 666, but frontman Dave Grohl especially goes wild here. He becomes a threat to his bandmates after becoming possessed by a spirit that haunts the California house where they choose to record their tenth album.

Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)

One of Matt LeBlanc's most successful gigs after leaving the Friends cast was playing a very personal role on Showtime's Episodes. The actor earned a Golden Globe for portraying himself as likable but overbearing, as the married creators of a new TV show that he is cast in discover.

Shaun White (Friends With Benefits)

Olympic Gold Medal-winning snowboarder Shaun White seems like a fun, down-to-earth dude, which makes his cameo in Friends with Benefits as anything but that so memorably funny. Because of his interest in Jamie (Mila Kunis), White takes an immediate and very intense dislike toward her platonic, occasional lover, Dylan (Justin Timberlake), threatening him at every turn.

James Van Der Beek (Don’t Trust The B– in Apartment 23)

James Van Der Beek's first major return to TV after leading the Dawson’s Creek cast was a main role on Don’t Trust the B– in Apartment 23 as... James Van Der Beek. The actor's absurd portrayal of the famous best friend to Krysten Ritter’s Chloe is miles away from his true self, but it did somehow predict that he would later appear on Dancing with the Stars.

Ryan Seacrest (Knocked Up)

The timeline of Ryan Seacrest's hosting gigs is so prolific and extensive, he is almost (if not more) famous than many of the people he has interviewed over the years. He acknowledges this in his cameo in Knocked Up, in which the then-E! News presenter portrays himself as comically vain, ill-tempered, and foul-mouthed, which are not good qualities on camera.

Tom Brady (Living With Yourself)

The Netflix sci-fi comedy series, Living with Yourself, stars Paul Rudd as Miles Elliott, who discovers that a life-changing wellness spa has cloned him into a better version of himself when he comes face-to-face with his "flawed" double. In the first episode, Miles sees the New England Patriots quarterback walking out of the spa before revealing he has visited it six previous times, which also happened to be his number of Super Bowl wins at the time.

Al Pacino (Jack And Jill)

If there is one good thing about 2011's Jack and Jill, which stars Adam Sandler as both a family man and his obnoxious twin sister, it is Al Pacino's performance as himself. In the comedy, the Oscar winner expresses affection for Jill, which leads him to star in a "Dunkaccino" ad that he believes should be destroyed moments after watching it.

The highly anticipated Happy Gilmore 2 is finally set to arrive this summer, much to fans' excitement. In the meantime, the cast and crew has been teasing what to expect from the film. Shooter McGavin actor Christopher McDonald, in particular, has been hyping it up consistently. McDonald's previous PSA about the sequel was humorously on brand for his snide character, though it also conveyed the actor's sincere praise for the movie. It seems McDonald can't stop singing Sandler's praises, based on his latest comments.

With the 2025 movie schedule on the horizon, McDonald continues to be an "ambassador" for the franchise. The veteran actor caught up with People and, when discussing Happy Gilmore 2 (which will be streamable with a Netflix subscription), he talked up a key element of the movie. Not only that, but he also explained what he loves about Sandler's work:

It’s no secret that Sandler plays goofy characters that also have hearts of gold. However, I love hearing one of his co-stars give him props for taking on such roles. Comedy is certainly key when it comes to Sandler films, but there's usually a level of sentimentality as well. That layer of emotion can serve as a grounding element when there's an outlandish story being told.

Specific plot details on Happy Gilmore 2 are scarce, but what's known is that franchise OGs Julie Bowen and Ben Stiller reprising their roles as Virginia Venit and Hal L., respectively. As for Christopher McDonald, he continued to avoid dropping spoilers in his recent interview. However, when asked if Shooter's skills will be polished or rusty at the onset of the film, he did offer up a tease:

I'm glad the actor is reprising his famous role and that he had a great time filming the sequel. Shooter and Happy's relationship is one of the focal points of the original 1996 movie. In the decades since its release, even Shooter has become famous, despite his status as the film's antagonist. I'm curious to see what brings the former foes back into contact with each other.

In addition to the familiar faces that are returning, there are plenty of franchise newcomers as well. Bad Bunny, Travis Kelce, Hayley Joel Osment and Margaret Qualley are just a few big names joining the fold as well as a host of pro-golfers, who are making cameos.

Hopefully, Christoper McDonald continues to hype up Happy Gilmore 2 ahead of its release. McDonald's positive energy and eagerness to promote the sequel and its predecessor is endearing. We'll see how that passion translates to his performance when the movie hits the 2025 Netflix calendar on July 25.

As the 2025 movie schedule brings us closer to the arrival of Happy Gilmore 2, we always knew that Adam Sandler’s new round of golfing mayhem would not include some of its iconic co-stars. Carl Weathers’ passing in 2024 sadly reminded us of that fact, and now the passing of Morris the alligator has brought it to mind once more.

Though the occasion did come with an internet eulogy from Sandler himself that was appropriately touching and hilarious. Taking to his Instagram account, the SNL alum/Happy Gilmore star shared a classic photo where he and Morris squared off on the golf course. But as you’ll read in the accompanying caption, Adam Sandler certainly didn’t forget to (partially) fabricate the softer side of his animal co-star:

Playing an adversary in one of the best Adam Sandler movies helps keep an actor in high regard. Just ask fellow returning cast member/Happy Gilmore 2 pitchman Christopher McDonald! And while Morris’ character is the offender that took the hand of pro golfer/mentor Chubbs (Carl Weathers), everyone is probably imagining the Predator actor and his reptilian co-star reunited in that green room in the great beyond; just two veteran performers, comparing notes on morality.

Morris the alligator would certainly have quite a number of stories to tell, since he lived to the ripe age of somewhere between 80 and 90 years old. According to his obit in The New York Times, the iconic aquatic superstar was initially discovered as an illegal pet back in the 1970s. That event would lead to Morris starring in some pretty notable pictures, like Alligator, Interview with the Vampire and even the classic showcase of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s cinematic excessive force, Eraser.

In retirement, Morris lived out his final days at the Colorado Gator Farm under the care of that farm’s overseer, Jay Young. So of course, when it came time to break the news to the world, Young shared that update on social media, as he tended to another one of his beloved animals:

Fondly honoring this creature of comfort’s memory, Adam Sandler walked the line between taking things seriously, while also telling a funnier narrative. To some, that may seem silly, but for Jay Young, those “anecdotes” about splitting a Three Musketeers bar probably came in handy when easing the pain of this passing.

We here at CinemaBlend send our deepest condolences to the fans and caretakers of Morris the alligator. With Happy Gilmore 2 's July 25th debut set to bow only on Netflix, it won't be too long before we see where Happy's adventures take him next! Let’s hope that the final cut involves some sort of gator-based gag, as it would only further highlight the love for a movie villain played by a real softy.

Debuting this summer as part of the 2025 movie schedule is the long-hoped-for Happy Gilmore 2, the sequel to Adam Sandler’s classic 1996 golf movie. The film will see Sandler reprise his role as the hot-tempered, titular golfer alongside a host of other returning stars. Christopher McDonald, the actor who plays pompous athlete Shooter McGavin is also back, and I’m hoping to see him and Happy duke it out on the green once more. McDonald is spoiling the film, but he did just share an A+ reason as to why it’ll be excellent.

It’s natural that when a high-profile movie like the Happy Gilmore sequel is inching towards release that most actors do their best to avoid dropping spoilers. That was certainly the case when Christopher McDonald was approached by TMZ, which sought to gain insight into his return as Shooter. McDonald did, however, share some glowing thoughts on the experience of working on the film and reuniting with his co-stars:

Adam Sandler’s collaborators typically share glowing thoughts about working on one of his films. I love to hear that Christopher McDonald enjoyed his time on set, and it’s humorously ironic, given the animosity between his and Sandler’s characters. McDonald’s latest comments make me laugh for another reason, though. According to TMZ, during his interview, he joked that there’s another reason he thinks the film will be a hit:

Those who are familiar with Shooter McGavin know that he’s incredibly self-centered, and he exudes that vibe at various points throughout the original film. With that in mind, it’s definitely fitting that the actor who portrays him would share such a take as to why he thinks the film will be great. It’s interesting just how famous Shooter has become in the years since the film’s release. Only a handful of movie villains truly manage to break through and become popular with general audiences. As snide as McGavin is, I’m not surprised at all that the character continues to receive much love.

Shooter aside, fans may also be happy to know that Julie Bowen and Ben Stiller are reprising their roles as Virginia Venit and Hal L. in Happy Gilmore 2. Bowen loved working with Adam Sandler again, and she also enjoyed the copious amount of cameos the film has. John Daly, Jack Nicklaus, Rory McIlroy and more famous golfers are set to appear in the movie as are Travis Kelce, Reggie Bush and even Eminem.

I’d still love to receive more plot details on this upcoming sports sequel, but I’m intrigued by what I’ve seen and heard thus far. (Plus, it’s hard to deny the allure of some A+ golf-related shenanigans and nipple-twisters.) Christopher McDonald sounds sure that he, Adam Sandler and co. are going to deliver gold. Given how long people have been asking for this movie, I hope it’s a hole-in-one.

Happy Gilmore 2 is set to make its streaming debut on July 25, so be sure you have a Netflix subscription so that you can check it out.

All of Netflix’s upcoming movies and TV shows pale in comparison to the mightiest of mighty releases hitting the streaming giant this summer: Adam Sandler’s highly anticipated sequel Happy Gilmore 2. A release date was finally set as the first full-length trailer was released, and fans were shocked and wildly pleased by the return of The Waterboy’s nipple-twisting assistant coach Farmer Fran among other previously revealed cast members and returning characters, such as Ben Stiller’s nightmare orderly Hal L.

Considering Blake Clarke went on to appear as Farmer Fran in the Happy Madison production Joe Dirt, it’s not out of the question that Happy Gilmore 2 could be a conduit to the multiverse of Adam Sandler movies. Imagine a film where various characters from the actor’s filmography pop onto a golf course or inside a country club just long enough to break reality.

Since it wouldn’t make sense to bring in any of Adam Sandler’s many heart-of-gold characters, as not to cause confusion, here are some other Sandler-adjacent characters I’d love to see reprised in the new movie.

"Bedtime" Bobby Barnes

Sure, gold and professional wrestling are at completely different points on the sports spectrum, but athletes in both worlds require talent, dexterity, patience, and a way with words. And it doesn't hurt to have a head of hair big enough to catch the attention of ships lost at sea. So I'd love to see Terry Crews' Sandly Wexler brawler Bobby Barnes showing up at some point in Happy Gilmore 2.

Perhaps there's a sports-related convention happening, where Barnes and Happy are both on hand signing autographs for fans. Or maybe we find out that Bobby is actually the long-lost son of Chubbs Peterson, and....wait, no, that's just dumb.

Julian "Frankenstein" McGrath

How awesome would it be to see either Dylan or Cole Sprouse returning to their breakout feature film role as Frankenstein himself, or rather Julian McGrath, from 1999's Big Daddy? The twin brothers have obviously gone on to bigger and brighter heights in Hollywood since that era where they co-played the biological kid of Sandler's Sonny Koufax.

It would probably take some very specific costume choices to even pull off the reference point, considering Julian was meant to be five years old during the film's timeline. It'd be even cooler if one of the Sprouse brothers was playing one of Happy Gilmore's kids in the sequel, but that might break the space-time-Sadler continuum.

Crazy Eyes (Mr. Deeds)

While not as outwardly homicidal as Con-Air villain Garland Greene, Steve Buscemi’s Mr. Deeds character Crazy Eyes is perhaps in the same general mentally disturbed area as the Marietta Mangler. In the scheme of things, Crazy Eyes isn’t exactly the deepest character, and is largely noteworthy for how amblyopia has affected his peepers. Which means he’s the perfect kind of non-consequential character to pop up for a ridiculous appearance.

Or, without Joe Flaherty around to call Happy a jackass during matches, Buscemi's character could provide a change of pace. Plus, Crazy Eyes may be a huge golf fanatic and we just never knew about it.

The Penguin (Billy Madison)

If I'm being honest here, after seeing Farmer Fran gleefully tweaking his nips in the Happy Gilmore 2 promo, my brain immediately wondered what would need to happen in order for Billy Madison's hallucinated penguin to appear. So I think if this cameo actually makes it into the annals of reality, the rest of these options can be dutifully ignored.

Still not sure how it would go down, but I feel like Happy Gilmore is the type of guy who may very well imbibe hallucinogens on any given day. And I also feel like Shooter McGavin is the type of guy who would spike an unaware competitor's drink with hallucinogens to screw with their playing skills. But if there's a news broadcast at some point that talks about scientists discovering a giant penguin in the wild, I'd take that as well.

While it might be overkill for Happy Gilmore 2 to add any further guest stars to its already stacked lineup, which also boasts over two dozen real-life golfers. Find out everyone who's involved when the comedy sequel becomes available to stream on Friday, July 25, with a Netflix subscription.

With the Happy Gilmore 2 release date quickly approaching, and one of Adam Sandler’s best characters coming back after nearly 30 years, you’d think I’d be in my happy place about now. While it is true that I’m excited to see what Sandler has in store for longtime fans and newcomers alike, there is something about the upcoming Netflix movie that has me more than a little bummed out: it’s not coming to theaters.

I know, I know, I’ll be able to watch Happy Gilmore 2 with my Netflix subscription this summer, but this is one of those times when I really wish the popular streaming service would offer up a theatrical run. I mean, a movie like this, a long-awaited sequel to one of the funniest sports comedies of all time, is something I’d love to see in a crowded theater opening night. Hear me out!

Happy Gilmore 2 Is One Of The Comedies I'm Most Excited To See This Year

I’ve been following everything that’s happening with Happy Gilmore 2 for a long time at this point, and I know way too much about the movie at this point. And based on everything I’ve read, every Adam Sandler podcast appearance I’ve checked out, and all the promotional material Netflix is throwing out on the internet, I’m stoked to see the movie. I mean, I came up in the early-to-mid-’90s and watched Happy Gilmore on VHS with my best friend more times than pretty much any other movie.

There are a lot of great and promising comedies on the 2025 movie schedule, but honestly, Adam Sandler getting back onto the green is at the top of the list, even if this is just nostalgia talking. And with Christopher McDonald’s Shooter McGavin and Ben Stiller’s Hal, two of the meanest ‘90s movie villains, coming back to make life hell for Happy once again, I’m guaranteed to watch this opening weekend…

But I Really Wish This Was Coming To Theaters And Not Netflix

But man, please let me enjoy the one thing that makes me happy: watching Happy Gilmore 2 on the big screen with a fresh bag of popcorn, a cold, delicious Mr. Pibb, and some Milk Duds. I would seriously watch this movie three times a day to keep it in theaters (no, not really), but Netflix is restricting one of its biggest movies of the year to TV sets, phones, tablets, and that little Google Hub I have in my kitchen.

I get it… catching the upcoming Adam Sandler movie on my phone is great. But the one place I want to watch the movie is the one place I can’t watch the movie. Just check out the Happy Gilmore 2 trailer and tell me it doesn’t belong on the big screen.

It's Not Like Netflix Doesn't Release Movies In Theaters

In the past, Netflix has given movies like Emilia Perez, Maestro, The Killer, and Mank limited theatrical runs before debuting on the streaming service, but nothing has been said about Happy Gilmore getting a similar treatment. The new sports comedy isn’t going to be a contender when awards season rolls around, but I feel like Netflix is really missing an opportunity here.

As a colleague pointed out when we were discussing what can best be described as a national, or at least cinematic tragedy, Is Netflix too good to put Happy Gilmore 2 in theaters?

Who knows, maybe Netflix will come around and drop Happy Gilmore 2 in theaters, and not on the ninth green at 9 p.m.

Nearly 30 years ago, Happy Gilmore swung its way into theaters and, now, the beloved sports comedy is receiving a sequel. The upcoming Happy Gilmore 2 wrapped production in November and is slated within Netflix's 2025 schedule. The upcoming Adam Sandler-led flick will see the return of several beloved characters from the first film and introduce a handful of new ones, including one played by Travis Kelce. Now, franchise newcomer Kym Whitley is recalling what it was like to be on set, and her thoughts are totally understandable.

Let’s be clear: Kym Whitley is no stranger to the world of comedy. A veteran of the craft in her own right, she's starred or guest-starred in various sitcoms over the years as well as films. However, Whitley had never worked with Adam Sandler until she was cast in the upcoming sequel as one of Happy’s friends. Whitley spoke to PEOPLE at the 16th Annual African-American Film Critics Awards and, while chatting about the film, she discussed the "pressure" that came with the gig:

As the actress alluded to, Adam Sandler is known for creating comfortable set environments. That's likely a big reason why so many actors work with Sandler again and again, and many have expressed how sweet the SNL alumni is to collaborate with. In short, there's a family-type vibe on his sets. Add that to the incredibly comedic talent of some of the actors, and it’s easy to see how one might suffer from a bout of imposter syndrome.

Judging by Kym Whitley's chemistry with her co-stars in other projects, though, I'd like to think she had nothing to worry about. Sure, sharing the screen with legends like Ben Stiller, who is reprising his role as the nursing home orderly, might be intimidating. However, judging by what's been said about the movie thus far, the returning cast is happy and eager to welcome newcomers into the fold.

However, it’s clear that Adam Sandler doesn’t stand for any sort of comedic hierarchy on his movie sets. Instead, he fosters a fun and easy-going film experience, which the Act Your Age star confirmed herself:

It’s always great to hear that actors are having fun making movies that make us laugh, and I'm hopeful that Happy Gilmore 2 is going to do just that. While not everyone is excited about the news that the film is de-aging the actors, there's reason to be pumped for the return of Julie Bowen's Virginia Venit and other fan-favorite characters. There's also the inclusion of various pro golfers, and even Bad Bunny has a role.

Plot details on Happy Gilmore 2 are still being kept under wraps. Despite that, I remain excited to see what the cast and crew bring to the proceedings. Kym Whitley is a strong addition to the cast as well, and I'm confident that she overcame that "pressure" to deliver a winning performance.

Only one movie hitting theaters in 2025 will feature appearances from over two dozen professional golfers and at least one professional football player. No, it’s not another Expendables movie (yet), but the highly anticipated comedy sequel Happy Gilmore 2. The upcoming Adam Sandler feature is leaning even harder into connecting to the sporting world than its predecessor, but probably don’t expect to see Travis Kelce donning his Kansas City Chiefs uniform in the sequel.

As revealed in the first Happy Gilmore 2 teaser released by Netflix, Kelce traded in his shoulder pads for what appears to be a waiter’s uniform, and is presumably working for either a country club or at one of the courses where Happy and others will be teeing off. But the former Super Bowl champ’s involvement in the sequel could have been under wildly different circumstances if Sandler & Co. went with one of their initial ideas.

While appearing on Travis and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast, the Sandman said:

Not that audiences are entirely clued in on what Happy Gilmore himself has been up to in the 20+ years since the events of the first film, but I feel like many fans like myself would expect him to maintain his relatively schlubby existence despite any and all professional golf victories and/or amateur hockey failures. And so it would indeed be ridiculous to think that his genes would result in an offspring capable of matching Travis Kelce's physique. No offense, Happy and Virginia.

Still, it would have been quite fun to see how the two would work together as a father-son tandem. Kelce did share on the podcast that he can consistently drive a golf ball around 330 yards when taking the walk-up Happy Gilmore approach, which would be chipping off the old block had they pushed forward with making the NFLer Adam Sandler's on-screen kid.

But learning this nifty detail now leaves me with a big question about the sequel.

Will Any Other A+ Celebs Play One Of Happy Gilmore's Children?

If we can go with the assumption that Julie Bowen reuniting with Adam Sandler for this movie means that Happy and Virginia are still together as a happy couple, then it stands to reason that they would have been the parents of whatever character Travis Kelce would have played. But did the writers find another big headline-maker to portray one of their offspring?

Quite a few cast members were announced for Happy Gilmore 2 without any character details revealed, while unconfirmed reports from the set indicated that AEW wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman is portraying one several Gilmore siblings. And it's very possible that circle-of-heads shot in the teaser trailer with Sandler and four younger actors represents Happy and Virginia's offspring.

Sure, it would make sense for that to be the end-all explanation here, but I can't help but think that Sandler & Co. brought someone else in to play a totally unexpected member of the Gilmore clan. My money would probably be on Uncut Gems director Benny Safdie if his age didn't make him a highly unlikely choice. Or Eminem and Reggie Bush, if we're making wild guesses for the hell of it.

Happy Gilmore 2 will be available to stream with a Netflix subscription at some point later in 2025, with its release date not yet revealed.

One of the most exciting upcoming movie releases is one that I predict will also go down as one of the biggest Netflix movies of 2025, thanks to the unending popularity of Adam Sandler. Of course I’m referring to the long-awaited sequel Happy Gilmore 2, which will give cinema’s greatest underachieving golfer another chance to prove his worth on the course. And this time around, he’ll be surrounded by way more legitimate professionals.

As previously revealed during the film’s production, which boasted Workaholics co-creator Kyle Newacheck as director, Happy Gilmore 2 is bringing back (and flashback-deaging) beloved stars like Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald, Ben Stiller and more alongside a slew of new additions like Travis Kelce, Bad Bunny, and Margaret Qualley. But it sounds like the total number of pro golfers appearing in the film outnumbers all of the celebs that have been announced so far.

Including John Daly, who confirmed his cameo back in October, a whopping 27 PGA and LIV golfers will be featured on screen when Happy Gilmore 2 rolls around, and it won’t just be for a big group shot where you’ll have to blink and squint to recognize all involved. According to Netflix’s Full Swing creator Chad Mumm, who helped out behind the scenes on the Happy Madison production:

I love when movies bring in famed faces that actually have a recurring presence, even if they may not directly impact the plot in a huge way, as opposed to an overly rushed cameo. And while I'm not sure exactly how many lines all of these guys will get, here's a shortlist of all the golfers that fans will see in the sports comedy.

The Golfers Who Will Reportedly Appear In Happy Gilmore 2

• Keegan Bradley
• John Daly
• Bryson DeChambeau
• Rickie Fowler
• Tom Johnson
• Brooks Koepka
• Rory McIlroy
• Colin Morikawa
• Jack Nicklaus
• Corey Pavin
• Xander Schauffele
• Scottie Scheffler
• Jordan Spieth
• Justin Thomas
• Lee Trevino
• Will Zalatoris

1996's Happy Gilmore did feature a couple of major golfers in the aforementioned Lee Trevino and Mark Lye, but the sequel is obviously going above and beyond when it comes to filling out what'll presumably be another tournament-based narrative. And certainly, the movie could have just filled its fairways and greens with actors filling the golfer roles, but that's not what the star and producer had in mind.

Adam Sandler's 2022 team-up with director Jeremiah Zagar, the basketball dramedy Hustle, was apparently an inspirational touchstone for the actor, at least when it comes to filling roles. According to Chad Mumm:

Anybody who watched Hustle knows that the film utilized a downright shocking number of past and then-present NBA stars, from Dr. J and Charles Barkley to Trae Young and Khris Middleton. I believe the number of PGA and LIV golfers is technically higher than the NBA greats in Hustle, but who's counting, you know?

Check out the first teaser for Happy Gilmore 2, which is still the only footage we've seen from the upcoming film.

Without a release date locked down just yet, Happy Gilmore 2 will arrive on Netflix at some point in 2025. I can't tell whether it would be good synergy to align the release with a major golf tournament, or if the core audience would already be too busy to watch, but I guess we'll see.

When Happy Gilmore 2 premieres during the 2025 movie schedule, it'll have been nearly 30 year since the original movie hit theaters. The classic comedy still stands as one of the best movies of the '90s, and that’s due in great part to its great cast, who more than delivered. One of the highlights was Christopher McDonald's performance as the smug Shooter McGavin, who has some great scenes and lines of dialogue. Now, it would seem that one of the bester McGavin moments was the result of McDonald trying to adlib only to space out.

Christopher McDonald talked with The Movie Dweeb and shared some details about Adam Sandler's long-awaited golf-centric sequel. As seen on the page’s YouTube, the Hacks actor recalled a now-iconic exchange between McGavin and Gilmore. It's the scene in which the two make a bet about golfing, as McGavin feels he has the upper hand ("I eat pieces of shit like you for breakfast"), but Gilmore has a retort locked and loaded. McDonald revealed it was the first scene he filmed for the movie and his moment of improv, which felt lackluster to him, worked perfectly:

Honestly, the line worked so well and really helped to inform Shooter McGavin's personality. Also, the Flubber alum’s instinct paid off, because the dialogue truly did help to create more comedic tension within the film. Even today, I still say that the actor was absolutely incredible in the role, and he knew it then, too. He shared that he remembered realizing the character would be infamous because, everywhere he went, people recognized him as Shooter.

During his recent interview, the Watcher alum later expanded on the misstep of not being able to go beyond the one-word response and also explaining why he was ultimately fine with that:

It’s not surprising that Christopher McDonald couldn’t expand the comedic moment, but he’s right when he says that it didn’t need anything else. McGavin is the epitome of that "entitled country club boy" archetype that can have viewers rolling their eyes at least once a scene. The Grease 2 alum was a perfect choice to play a mean man-child like that, and I can’t wait to see him in the sequel. (Adam Sandler dropped a big teaser over the holidays, in case you missed it!)

We’ll have to wait and see if Shooter McGavin has any shining moments that rival the ones in its 1996 predecessor, which some would argue is Adam Sandler's best movie. I'm eager to see if lightning strikes twice but, with Sandler, Christopher McDonald and others on board, I'm feeling confident.

Happy Gilmore is available on VOD. A release date has yet to be announced for the sequel, but know that you'll want to have an active Netflix subscription if you want to check it out.

We've spent a lot of focus in the last few weeks looking back at the cinema of 2024, reflecting on our favorite films of the year, but now is also the time to look ahead at what is on the way – and there is a lot to be excited about. Not only are there a number of big screen titles to anticipate coming to theaters on the 2025 movie calendar, but there are a lot of standout streaming titles as well – including Happy Gilmore 2, which we just got our first look at today.

With today being both Christmas and the first day of Channukah, Adam Sandler has gifted fans everywhere with a special teaser for his long-awaited sequel to one of his best films. He posted the above trailer on his personal Twitter page along with the following message:

This being just a teaser trailer, we don't get to learn via the footage what Happy Gilmore 2 is about (Adam Sandler has previously made vague references to Happy's life being a bit of a mess). And it doesn't even give us a general release date beyond "2025." But what it does do is showcase a number of notable faces and make us wonder about how they are going to fit into the story. This includes a couple of celebrity cameos, including Travis Kelce as a waiter:

And Bad Bunny as Happy Gilmore's caddy (though what's up with the bowtie?):

Celebrity cameos were inevitable in Happy Gilmore 2, but what really makes this special holiday teaser trailer stand out is the fact that it gives us our first look at a couple of important returning characters. Again, we don't know any specific details about the different relationships in the titular character's life when we catch up with him in the new story, but he appears to at least still be on good terms with Julie Bowen's Virginia Venit (are they still together?) and the footage suggests that Happy and Christopher McDonald's Shooter McGavin have not yet become friends (though why the Happy Gilmore antagonist is showing up at a cemetery wearing blue pajamas is a whole other deal unto itself and raises a bunch of questions independently to the rest of the footage).

Happy Gilmore 2 is coming in 2025, and like most new Adam Sandler movies these days, it will be premiering as an exclusive for those with a Netflix subscription. There is still a lot we don't know about the upcoming comedy, but we here at CinemaBlend are hungry for new knowledge about the movie, so be sure to stay tuned in the coming months for more news and updates about the release.

When you think about Adam Sandler, chances are your mind immediately starts remembering all of the comedian’s famous lines or on-screen outbursts. And while the former Saturday Night Live star is known for his humor, his characters typically have a whole lot of heart, even if you dig deep to find those touching moments. Well, I’ve done just that and came up with 32 times an Adam Sandler character proved he has a heart of gold.

Happy Gilmore Started Golfing To Save His Grandma's House (Happy Gilmore)

Sure, Happy Gilmore didn’t know much about golf etiquette, but he did know how to take care of the people he loved. And there was no one he loved more than his grandma. Adam Sandler’s most famous character went to great lengths to save the family home, which included trying out golf for the first time. Good thing he had a killer drive.

Billy Madison Acted Like He Wet His Pants To Make Ernie Look Cool (Billy Madison)

Was Billy Madison an idiot? Yes. Was he a screwup? Yes, again. But you can’t say he didn’t care (at least later in his life). One of the funniest and most heartfelt moments in Billy Madison came when Adam Sandler’s character acted like he peed his pants so that his young classmate would look like one of the cool kids instead of being embarrassed for having an accident.

Robbie Hart Helped Julia Sullivan Realize She Deserved True Love (The Wedding Singer)

Robbie Hart in The Wedding Singer could be one of the most emotional characters of Adam Sandler’s ‘90s run, for better or worse. On the better side, the heartbroken Robbie helped Julia Sullivan plan her wedding to Glenn Gulia, even though he was madly in love with her. He helped her figure out she deserved true love in the process.

Bobby Boucher Helped Coach Klein Overcome His Fear (The Waterboy)

Bobby Boucher became an unlikely hero for South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs to a surprising victory at the Bourbon Bowl in The Waterboy. But it wasn’t just his on-field heroics that saved the day, as the 31-year-old also helped Coach Klein overcome his fears and stand up to his longtime bully, Coach Red Beaulieu.

Longfellow Deeds Bought A Corvette For Everyone In Town (Mr. Deeds)

Longfellow Deeds is probably the most likable Adam Sandler character for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest is the fact that he was always looking out for his friends and family, like at the end of Mr. Deeds when he buys Corvettes for everyone in Mandrake Falls, New Hampshire.

Sonny Koufax Took In Julian Instead Of Sending Him To An Orphanage (Big Daddy)

Sure, Sonny Koufax lied about his identity and acted like he was Julian’s dad for most of Big Daddy, but he did it to help keep the young boy out of an orphanage until his real father returned from a business trip. Again, mistakes were made, but the whole experience was life-changing for the toll-booth worker with a law degree.

Paul Crewe Put His Team Before Himself (The Longest Yard)

Paul Crewe is a self-centered, self-destructive, and unlikable prick when The Longest Yard gets started, but by the time this 2005 remake of one of the best football movies is over and done with, he finally puts his team before himself.

Robbie Hart Performed 'I Want To Grow Old With You' (The Wedding Singer)

Robbie Hart wore his heart on his sleeve, or in the case of The Wedding Singer’s final scene, on his guitar. To make Julia understand that he loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, he wrote and performed “I Want to Grow Old with You” with a little help from his friend… Billy Idol.

Happy Gilmore Gave Chubbs The Alligator That Took His Hand (Happy Gilmore)

The alligator may have taken Chubbs' hand, but Happy Gilmore made sure he took out the nasty reptile near the end of this classic sports comedy. Sure, the present led to his mentor falling out of an open window and dying, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

Henry Roth Abandoned His Research Trip To Take Care Of Lucy (50 First Dates)

Henry Roth and Lucy Whitmore, one of the many couples played by Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, respectively, had a good thing going in 50 First Dates. So much so that Henry was willing to abandon a long-planned research trip to take care of the woman with some severe short-term memory loss.

Billy Madison Passed Ownership Over To Carl After Beating Eric (Billy Madison)

Adam Sandler’s titular character in Billy Madison had no business running his family’s hotel empire after beating the conniving Eric in one of the most absurd academic decathlons ever put to film. He knew that, so upon winning the competition and the keys to the company, Billy handed the business over to Carl, a man who had worked his way to the top.

Longfellow Deeds Wrote A Moving Poem For Babe Bennett (Mr. Deeds)

Though Babe Bennett was a sneaky TV tabloid reporter trying to get the scoop on Longfellow Deeds in Mr. Deeds, the new billionaire had real feelings for the woman looking into his life. He wrote a poem for his love interest, and it was good it was eventually used as a Hallmark card at the end of the movie.

Sonny Koufax Smoothed Things Over With His Dad (Big Daddy)

Sonny Koufax and his dad never really got along for so many reasons, but the thing that matters is that Adam Sandler’s character put himself through hell to earn respect and smooth things over with his intense father. He could have taken the easy way out and never talked to him again, but he knew how important family was after the Julian experience.

Barry Egan Went To Great Lengths To Protect Lena Leonard (Punch-Drunk Love)

Punch-Drunk Love is one of the best romantic comedies of all time, and one that features a remarkably lovable Adam Sandler character. Like, Barry Egan went to great lengths to win over and protect Lena Leonard in this wonderful Paul Thomas Anderson movie. He even went and confronted an unhinged mattress salesman named Dean Trumbell.

Davey Stone Gets The Whole Town To Support Whitey Duvall (Eight Crazy Nights)

Eight Crazy Nights isn’t Adam Sandler’s best movie, nor is it one a lot of us remember. However, this 1998 animated movie does see one of Sandler’s most obnoxious characters prove he has a heart of gold. Near the end of the film, Davey Stone changes his ways and gets the whole town to support the elderly Whitey Duvall, also portrayed by Sandler.

Michael Newman Cast His Own Desires Aside To Connect With His Family (Click)

Yeah, Michael Newman uses his magical remote control to do some pretty jerkish things throughout Click, but he does come around in the end and decides to put his family’s desires ahead of his own to bring everyone back together.

Nicky Left The Comfort Of His Home To Save His Dad, Satan (Little Nicky)

Little Nicky hasn’t gone down as one of the best Adam Sandler movies, but it does feature one of his most innocent and sincere characters. This is ironic considering Nicky is the son of Satan. Even more ironic when you consider that the whole movie is about Nicky saving his dad, the OG fallen angel, from being wiped out by his evil brothers.

Lenny Feder Brought All His Childhood Friends Back Together (Grown Ups)

Say what you will about Grown Ups, the 2010 comedy featuring the likes of Adam Sandler, David Spade, Chris Rock, and Kevin James had its moments. On top of the funny parts, the buddy comedy also had a lot of heart, especially when dealing with Lenny Feder’s plans to reunite his friends and make up for lost time.

Zohan Dvir Left The Military To Help Make Life Better For People (You Don't Mess With The Zohan)

You Don’t Mess with the Zohan is about as bad as it gets when it comes to Adam Sandler’s movies from the 2000s, but there’s no denying the titular character has a heart of gold. After years of fighting, killing, shooting, and blowing stuff up for his country, the Israeli commando starts a new life as a hairdresser so he can make life better for people.

Dave Buznik Held Dr. Buddy Rydell Overcome His Own Issues (Anger Management)

Dave Buznik has a closet full of issues in Anger Management, which is why Dr. Buddy Rydell moves in with him. Though Jack Nicholson’s character helps out Sandler’s immensely, the student becomes the teacher at times and Dave is able to help the intense doctor overcome some of his own issues in the process.

Longfellow Deeds Stopped Blake Media Shareholders From Selling The Company (Mr. Deeds)

Near the end of Mr. Deeds when Blake Media is about to be dissolved by the shareholders, Longfellow Deeds gives a rousing speech to convince them to change their minds. Knowing what harm will come to the people who have devoted their lives to the corporate conglomerate, it’s a stand he feels he has to make.

Sonny Koufax Went To Court To Fight For Julian (Big Daddy)

Was Sonny Koufax a good son, boyfriend, roommate, or friend? No, not necessarily. However, he did go to Hell and back to fight for Julian in Big Daddy. Yeah, the plan ended up failing and Sonny didn’t get to keep the boy, but he did learn a valuable lesson along the way.

Danny Meyerowitz Put His Dreams On The Shelf To Take Care Of His Dad (The Meyerowitz Stories)

Noah Baumbach’s The Meyerowitz Stories has one great performance after another, including Adam Sandler’s as Danny Meyerowitz. Throughout the movie, Danny puts his family’s needs (mostly his father’s) ahead of his own, putting his dreams on a shelf. These constant acts of selflessness do make him blow up, but hasn’t that happened to us all?

John Clasky Constantly Protected His Kids (Spanglish)

One of Adam Sandler’s best rom-coms, Spanglish is a movie with a whole lot going on. One of the best parts about the movie, and Sandler’s performance as John Clasky, is the way in which the father of two goes to great lengths to protect his kids. It’s admirable, really.

Bobby Boucher Was Willing To Leave Football To Be There For His Mama (The Waterboy)

Bobby Boucher would do anything for his mom, even stop playing football (or foosball as she calls it so many times. Not wanting to hurt his mama anymore in The Waterboy, the 31-year-old football star decided to leave his team if it meant having his dear old mom get out of a coma.

Max Simkin Saved Mr. Solomon's Home (The Cobbler)

Adam Sandler plays a man with the ability to literally walk in other people’s shoes in The Cobbler, which leads to some great and touching moments. One of those comes late in the film when the cobbler comes up with a wild plan to save Mr. Solomon’s home from a greedy and vile slumlord.

Skeeter Bronson Helped Jill Hastings Save Her School (Bedtime Stories)

Is Skeeter Bronson the noblest guy in Bedtime Stories? Not quite! However, he knows when to step up and save the day in this fantastical family comedy. Case in point, remember when he did everything he could to help Jill Hastintgs save her school from being demolished? Someone call Neil Young, we found a heart of gold over here.

Drac, Though Extremely Overprotective, Tried To Give His Daughter The Best Life (Hotel Transylvania)

Drac is incredibly overprotective throughout Hotel Transylvania (and its various sequels), but all he wants to do is protect his daughter, Mavis, from the ills of the world (mostly humans). Yeah, he takes things too far at times, but that’s pretty much the number one job for a dad, even if he’s an immortal vampire.

Donny Berger Finally Put His Son's Needs Ahead Of His Own (That's My Boy)

Donny Berger isn’t the best dad in the world, and he’s not even an okay dad most of the time. However, in That’s My Boy, he finally puts his son’s wishes and needs ahead of his own, even if it’s nearly 30 years too late.

John Clasky Paid Kids Handsomely To Clean The Beach (Spanglish)

John Clasky does a lot of great things in Spanglish, including the time he paid his kids and Flor’s kids a ton of money to pick up glass on the beach. Protecting the environment and helping his kids make some cash is a win-win.

Happy Gilmore Made The Outcasts Of Society Feel Represented (Happy Gilmore)

Happy Gilmore challenged the status quo and made golf a game of the people on his journey to defeat Shooter McGavin and the patriarchy of the sport. Sure, the greens and fairways are a bit more crowded now, but everyone fits in for a change.

Nicky Sacrificed Himself And Ended Up In Heaven (Little Nicky)

Nicky sacrificing himself in Little Nicky is honestly one of the most heroic things an Adam Sandler character has ever done. Plus, it got him to heaven where he finally got to see his mom (and Chubbs) after all these years.

Last-minute Christmas gifts may not always seem like the best way to prove one’s love for someone else, but that really just depends on how refined one’s last-minute shopping skills are. From streaming deals to VPN subs to Disney Plus gift cards galore, there’s always something quality to opt for in a pinch, and we’ve got a slew of Blu-ray and DVD deals listed below that should help fill any still-empty stockings hanging around the tree.

Granted, it’s possible not everything noted here will actually fit inside everyone’s stocking, but I think that’s probably just a sign that you need an upgrade. So while waiting for the 2025 TV premieres and for all the big movies hitting theaters in 2025, check out some of the biggest Blu-ray and DVD deals that would make perfect last-minute gifts for comedy connoisseurs, action addicts, and horror hounds.

First up, let's put a spotlight (that may or may not be bat-themed) on movie and TV deals perfect for people who want to see things get punched and blown up, starting with the second biggest movie of 2024, Deadpool & Wolverine.

Blu-Ray And DVD Deals For Action Fans

• Deadpool/Deadpool 2 [4K UHD]: $40.99 (Was $65.99)
• Police Story/Police Story 2 - The Criterion Collection [Blu-ray]: $24.99 (Was $49.95)
• Jurassic World Ultimate 6-Movie Collection [Blu-ray + DVD + Digital]: $29.99 (Was $46.19)
• The Bourne Complete Collection [Blu-ray + Digital]: $17.99 (Was $39.99)
• Dragon Ball Super: The Complete Series [Limited Edition Steelbook Blu-ray Gift Set]: $120.99 (Was $199.98)
• Top Gun + TG: Maverick [2-Movie 4K Ultra HD]: $22.49 (Was $33.99)
• Fast & Furious 10-Movie Collection [4K Ultra HD + Digital]: $63.99 (Was 134.99)
• Batman Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $49.99 (Was $89.99)
• The Dark Knight Trilogy [Blu-ray]: $43.90 (Was $53.99)
• The James Bond Collection [Blu-ray]: $69.96 (Was $114.99)
• Lord Of The Rings / The Hobbit [Middle-Earth Theatrical Collection Blu-ray]: $24.99 (Was $62.99)

For those who need a lot of laughs going into the new year, the following batch of discounted comedy favorites are just waiting to sit snugly inside somebody's stocking, especially those that are perfectly suited for the holiday season. First up is the highest-def holiday chaos yet from Chevy Chase's Clark Griswold.

Blu-Ray And DVD Deals For Comedy Fans

• A Charlie Brown Christmas [Blu-ray]: $8.99 (Was $19.98) On Amazon
• A Christmas Story [4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray]: $19.99 (Was $33.99)
• Home Alone + Home Alone 2 [Blu-ray] $17.49 (Was $25.99)
• The Muppets Take Manhattan [4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital]: $19.59 (Was $40.99)
• Austin Powers Triple Feature [Blu-ray]: $13.70 (Was $19.98) On Amazon
• Miss Congeniality & Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous - [Blu-ray]: $16.04 (Was $24.98)
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Complete Series [DVD]: $29.99 Was $59.98
• How to Train Your Dragon: 3-Movie Collection [Blu-ray + Digital]: $10.99 (Was $29.98)
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: The Complete Series [DVD]: $29.99 (Was $69.99)
• Billy Madison + Happy Gilmore [Double Feature Blu-ray]: $10.99 (Was $19.98)
• Family Matters: The Complete Series [DVD]: $39.89 (Was $114.99)

For those who enjoy chills up the spine alongside the chills in the air, walk a cautious path through the following movies and TV show Blu-ray discounts that are dying to give you and yours a blood-red Christmas. With both Robert Eggers' Nosferatu and Leigh Whannell's The Wolf Man among many upcoming horror movies, let's celebrate the original monster masters.

Blu-Ray And DVD Deals For Horror And Sci-Fi Fans

• Krampus: The Naughty Cut Collector's Edition [4K UHD]: $25.99 (Was $39.98)
• Insidious Steelbook [4K UHD]: $23.99 (Was $45.99)
• Dune: 2-Film Collection [Blu-Ray + Digital]: $21.99 (Was $44.98)
• Hammer Horror 8-Film Collection [Blu-ray]: $16.99 (Was $35.98)
• The Visit [Blu-ray]: $29.99 (Was $39.95)
• Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon [Blu-ray]: $24.53 (Was $34.93)
• Hellraiser [Midnight Madness Series Blu-ray]: $10.79 (Was $17.97)
• Babylon 5: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]: $69.99 (Was $134.99)
• The Last of Us: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray]: $15.99 (Was $23.99)
• Scream 6 [Blu-ray + Digital]: $13.99 (Was $17.99)
• Don’t Look Now: The Criterion Collection [Blu-ray]: $21.53 (Was $39.95)
• Severance: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray]: $26.79 (Was $42.98)

Hopefully some of the choices above take the pressure off of making some decisions going into Christmas — and if you need to decide on a streaming bundle, we went through that as well. Have a merry, and money-saving holiday!

Adam Sandler has made himself a pretty solid and successful career over at Netflix. While not every film the comedy star has made has made massive waves, his next movie is all but certain to be his biggest yet, as he’ll be returning to one of his most popular characters in next year’s Happy Gilmore 2. And apparently a lot of people are coming to the party.

The list of returning characters and incredible cameos gets longer and longer the more we hear about the film, and now we’ve learned about a couple of surprising appearances that just make the new movie all the more exciting. Sandler recently called into The Dan Patrick Show, the host of which will also be appearing in the movie, and they discussed some of the stars who will be showing up, including, incredibly, Eminem. Sandler said…

I can’t imagine how Eminem will fit into the story of Happy Gilmore 2, but it sounds like he was just hilarious on the set. Eminem hasn’t appeared in a movie since 2014’s The Interview, where he also cameoed as himself. From how Sandler talks, it sounds like they just messed around for a day on his scene, so there’s probably a lot more hilarious footage than we’ll ever see in the film.

Eminem joins a long list of returning stars and other impressive cameos. We know that Christopher McDonald will return as Shooter McGavin. Actress Julie Bowen is returning to reprise her role from the first film as well. Even Ben Stiller will be back playing his scene-stealing nurse from the first film. The movie will also include a host of golf’s greatest stars. John Daly talked about his time filming, and Sandler also told Dan Patrick that the great Jack Nicklaus would appear. Sandler explained…

Cameos are a big part of Happy Gilmore. The original movie had its share of iconic moments that came from celebrity appearances. The most famous is likely Adam Sandler's famous fistfight with Bob Barker. Golfer Lee Trevino also had a memorable scene in the first movie.

Happy Gilmore is one of Adam Sandler's best movies and one of his most iconic characters, so there are sure to be a lot of people excited for the sequel. While John Daly had previously said he thought the movie would be out in March or April, Sandler indicated the Happy Gilmore 2 release date would likely be July. While we may have to wait a bit longer for it, with this cast, the film should be worth the wait.

Everyone loves a good underdog story and Hollywood history is filled with them. Surprisingly, the underdog doesn't always win in sports movies, despite the trope. Of course, there are plenty of great movies where the underdog does win, like the wonderful sports movies on this list.

Hoosiers

There is no way to make this list without including possibly the most classic underdog story in film history, and one of the best sports movies ever, Hoosiers. The Gene Hackman-led movie about a small-town high school that takes home the Indiana state championship is an all-time great, and, of course, based on a true story.

Miracle

The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team was never supposed to have a chance, especially against the big, bad Soviet Union, whose team was made up entirely of what amounted to professional players. The rag-tag group of college kids shocked the world when, led by the legendary coach Herb Brooks, beat the Soviets and eventually captured the gold medal. Miracle tells the story in amazing detail, with Kurt Russell as Brooks.

Invictus

Invictus, starring Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as legendary South African rugby captain Francois Pienaar tells the incredible story of the underdog Springboks (South African's national team) in its amazing journey to winning the 1995 World Cup in their home country. What makes it an underdog story is that the whole tournament is played as the country is coming out of the apartheid era and bringing the country together seemed an impossible task, but it's something the Springboks helped do.

The Replacements

When the players of a pro football team go on strike, the league replaces them with "scabs" including a washed-up quarterback played by Keanu Reeves. Despite the odds, the team scrambles to win enough of their remaining games to qualify for the playoffs just as the strike ends and they go back to their previous lives.

Dodgeball

Okay, it's not the most serious sport in the world, but in the movie Dodgeball, it's taken very seriously. With Peter (Vince Vaughn) on the verge of losing his gym to the bank, he must bring together the misfit group of gym members to try and win the championship and enough money to save the gym, and of course, they do.

Breaking Away

There aren't enough movies about professional bicycling, are there? Breaking Away is a classic example of one. In it, a group of "townies" in a college town come together to compete against some of the best college cyclists in the country in the "Little 500" at the University of Indiana. The race is, frankly, ridiculously unrealistic, but that doesn't matter, as our hero, Dave, overcomes injury and fatigue to win the whole thing.

Rocky II

You knew there was no way we were going to leave off the most famous underdog movie of all time, right? Well, we couldn't include the original Rocky, because the underdog actually loses. However, Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) does return and triumph in Rocky II!

Slap Shot

There is one movie that every hockey fan would put at the top of the list for underdog stories, not to mention probably the best movie about the sport of all time. Of course, we're talking about Slap Shot starring Paul Newman. The hilarious movie about a team of complete screw-ups and misfits is among the best sports movies ever made.

Wildcats

One of Goldie Hawn's more underrated movies is a classic underdog story. In Wildcats, Hawn plays a football coach who isn't taken seriously because she's a woman. When she is offered the job at an underfunded inner-city school, she jumps at it. Even though everyone expects her and the ragtag team to fail, she and they beat all the odds and take down the rich kids from the suburbs.

The Boys In The Boat

2023's The Boys In The Boat wasn't a hit with critics or moviegoers, but it's actually a pretty decent movie about the true story of the University of Washington's rowing team who shocked everyone in the rowing world when they qualified for - and won - the Olympics in 1936.

The Game of Their Lives

The United States has never been a powerhouse in the world of international soccer (or football). Still, in the 1950 World Cup, a group of amateur players, mostly from "The Hill" neighborhood of St. Louis, managed an upset of one of the great soccer nations, England, 1-0. The Game of Their Lives is all about those players and that team.

The Mighty Ducks

Of course we have to have The Mighty Ducks on this list! Not only is a great example of the underdog winning in so many ways, it's just a stone-cold classic for anyone who grew up watching over and over. It launched a mini-franchise, but none of the movies every really lived up to the original.

Remember The Titans

Remember the Titans tells the incredible true story about the integration of a high school football team in 1971. Denzel Washington plays the newly-named coach and immediately faces a backlash due to his race. The white players clash with the Black players, but through his hard work and persistence, Washington's team overcomes it all to win.

Tha Karate Kid

Everyone knows the story of The Karate Kid, especially now with the huge success of Cobra Kai. At the heart of the story is a true underdog, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), who moves across the country with his mother only to get bullied at his new high school. With the help of a mysterious handyman (Pat Morita), he learns how to fight back and despite an entire squad of goons trying to sweep his leg and injure him at the big karate tournament, he overcomes it all with one great crane kick.

Necessary Roughness

Necessary Roughness is a mostly forgotten movie from the early '90s about a college team on a rough slide who are brought together by a tough-but-fair coach (Héctor Elizondo) who brings back an aging quarterback (Scott Bakula) and a female kicker (Kathy Ireland). Of course, they win the last game on a last-second trick play.

We Are Marshall

The tragedy of the Marshall football team plane crash inspired We Are Marshall about the coaches and players who are left to pick up the pieces of a shattered community and football program. Matthew McConaughey plays Jack Lengyel, the coach brought in to lead the impossible task. Together with his players, they bring the team back and succeed by just competing the very next season.

The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh

The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh is to basketball what Slap Shot is to hockey. It's a ridiculously over-the-top send-up of the sport featuring a hapless professional team from Pittsburgh doing everything it can, on the court and off, to win. Of course, they do, in the end.

McFarland, USA

In the spirit of many Disney movies, McFarland, USA is an underdog tale that is based on a true story. Football coach Jim White (Kevin Costner) loses his job as a football coach and is forced to take a job at an underprivileged mostly Latino school. He soon learns that the kids are talented runners and under his coaching, they go all the way to the state championship.

Cinderella Man

Cinderella Man is one of the great - and somewhat underappreciated - boxing movies. Russell Crowe plays James J. Braddock, a pro boxer who shocked the world when he defeated Max Baer for the heavyweight championship in 1935. For the rest of his career, he was known by the nickname "Cinderella Man" due to the unlikely victory.

The Longest Yard

There are a couple of versions of The Longest Yard, but we recommend the first starring Burt Reynolds, of course. If you haven't seen either movie, they are essentially the same plot where a group of prisoners take on a group of guards in the dirtiest football game you'll ever see.

Happy Gilmore

Happy Gilmore might not know proper golf etiquette, as he shows over and over in the movie with the same title, but he does know how to win. This Adam Sandler classic is one of the all-time great golf and sports movies and a movie where the underdog - Happy - wins the tournament and the girl.

Teen Wolf

With "The Wolf," the Beavers are definitely not the underdogs. Without the wolf with Scott (Michael J. Fox) playing as just himself, they are the underdogs. It's that simple. And in the final game, the championship game, the Beavers answer the call as a team, and without the wolf.

The Natural

Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) wasn't an underdog at first, he was a monster of a pitcher. Then it all came crashing down after he was mysteriously shot. After that, he was never the same. Until he gets a second chance as a power hitter and he helps the New York Knights win the pennant.

Major League

In a case of art imitating real life, the Cleveland Indians, who hadn't been a playoff team for decades when Major League was released in 1989. The group of misfits in the movie was brought together by the team's "showgirl" owner with the intent purpose of losing so she could move them to Miami. Of course, the team thwarts her plans in the end and they make it to the playoffs. In the sequel, we find out they didn't win, but for the purpose of this list (and everything else), we're ignoring that.

Seabiscuit

At a time when horse racing was one of the most popular sports in the United States, an underdog horse named Seabiscuit captured the attention of sports fans all over the country. The movie tells the incredible story of the amazing horse and it grabbed the attention of movie fans across the world.

Escape To Victory

Escape To Victory, like The Longest Yard is a story of prisoners assembling to try to beat a more powerful opponent. The big difference is that the prisoners were Allied POWs in World War II and the more powerful opponent was a professional team from Germany. In one of the best examples of a pro athlete doing some acting, even the great Pele had a role in the film. Not only do the prisoners win the match, but they also use the opportunity to escape.

Next Goal Wins

It's fair to say that Next Goal Wins is not the best movie on this list, but it is a super fun, feel-good story about an underdog soccer team from American Samoa who are finally able to come together to win a game—just one game. But they were so bad that one victory made all the difference.

The Hunger Games

Argue all you want over whether The Hunger Games is a sports movie, but it takes a lot of athletic ability to win them, so yeah, they are. Period. Obviously, anyone from District 12 is going to be an underdog, it's incredibly rare for anyone from that far from the Capitol to win. When Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) both win, it's the ultimate underdog win.

Air Bud

Let's just get this out of the way right away, Air Bud is a dumb movie with a dumb plot. BUT - there is a whole generation of movie fans who grew up loving it and any time a team needs a beloved family pet to join the team to win a basketball game counts as an underdog story. The dog leads them to victory, of course.

Rollerball

1975's Rollerball starring James Caan is one of the best cult flicks from its era and one of the best of Caan's career. There is a lot more to it than a simple underdog story, as the social commentary is hardly subtle. At its heart though, it's a team (and a man) overcoming the odds to win.

Invincible

2006's Invincible, starring Mark Wahlberg as the real-life Vince Papale. It's not about a team of underdogs like most examples on this list, but it's about how one man can work hard to achieve a dream well after most people have written him off. It's easily one of Wahlberg's best movies, even if it's not one that most people think of right away.

Angels In The Outfield

Angels In The Outfield is a movie that you definitely had to grow up to love. It's a silly movie about a kid who wishes for his favorite MLB team to finally win something. They finally do so with some heavenly help. So it still counts as an underdog story, right?

Fresh details keep emerging about the much-anticipated upcoming Happy Gilmore 2, and I couldn’t be more excited to revisit the world of one of the greatest movies of the '90s. News of Julie Bowen reprising her role and all her cameo talk had already sent my anticipation soaring like one of Happy’s golf shots. And now it’s been confirmed that Ben Stiller’s hilariously twisted nursing home orderly will also make a comeback. While his recent tease about the role has fans buzzing, what truly stands out is how warmly he speaks about his friendship with Adam Sandler.

In a recent interview with Collider, Stiller opened up about how he felt when news of his return spread like wildfire after an onset photo leaked. While careful not to spoil too much, he shared a tantalizing hint about Hal’s role in the sequel that fans are sure to analyze endlessly:

For those who need a refresher, Stiller’s Hal L. became an instant fan favorite in the original film as the hilariously over-the-top, mustachioed nursing home orderly with a dark streak and zero patience for elderly residents. Fans of Happy Gilmore (available to stream with a Hulu subscription) have been clamoring for more of his antics ever since, and it looks like the Tropic Thunder star and director is ready to deliver.

But beyond the excitement of Hal’s return, the Zoolander star’s comments about his connection with Adam Sandler paint a picture of a friendship that transcends their on-screen collaborations. The two have worked together numerous times over the years, and Stiller’s admiration for the Billy Madison actor shines through. He continued:

It’s refreshing to hear how much fun the cast is having behind the scenes, which bodes well for fans eager to see if the sequel can recapture the charm of the original. It sounds like the upcoming 2025 movie release is shaping up to be a worthy sequel to one of the best golf movies and well worth the wait.

Hearing about the cast’s behind-the-scenes fun is a breath of fresh air and gives hope to fans wondering if the sequel will capture the original’s magic. With its slated for the 2025 movie schedule, the film is shaping up to be a sequel worthy of one of the most beloved and best golf movies — and it sounds like it’s going to be well worth the wait. Whether you’re here for the golf, the laughs, or simply to see more of Stiller’s hilariously chaotic Hal L., this sequel is clearly aiming for a hole-in-one with the fans.

Is Happy Gilmore one of Adam Sandler’s funniest characters and at the center of one of the best ‘90s movies? You bet. But does the hockey player-turned-golfer know anything about the rules of golf? Well, that’s questionable, at best. Though he made us laugh, gave us unforgettable lines, and put one of the meanest movie villains of the decade in his place, the titular hero in Happy Gilmore knew nothing about golf etiquette. Here are 32 examples we’re getting ready to tee off.

The Iconic Swing Is Great But Totally Not Right

Happy Gilmore’s swing is something golfers of all ages and handicaps have been replicating for the better part of the past 30 years. However, this highly unorthodox swing, despite looking so freaking cool, goes against everything you learn at golf lessons. But again, it fits his character, so we can't hate too much.

When He Fought Bob Barker

Celebrity golf events are supposed to be fun, light, and not incredibly competitive. But that’s far from the case when Happy Gilmore partners up with the late Bob Barker in one of the movie’s most outrageous sequences. But the whole fighting an elderly man (and getting your butt kicked in the process) just doesn’t fly on the course.

The Time He Attacked A Heckler In The Crowd

No, this isn’t about the hilarious heckler played by the late Joe Flaherty in Happy Gilmore but instead, the random spectator who made the mistake of laughing at Happy’s failed putts at the Waterbury Open. The hockey-style fight goes against everything that makes golf golf, but again it looks so cool.

The Big Check Incident

One of the funniest scenes early on in Happy Gilmore takes place when he thinks he’s going to be getting a check for competing in the AT&T Invitational, only to learn one will be mailed to him. What makes it even better is the fact that he wanted one of those silly big checks, which has a payoff later on in the movie.

Being Confused By His Young Caddy

Happy Gilmore tackling his young caddy (played by Jared Van Snellenberg) at the Waterbury Open when he thinks the young teenager is stealing his grandpa’s clubs is hilarious. Sure, one would think that Happy would know that, but we’re talking about a guy who started playing golf pretty much the day before.

Not Bringing A Caddy On The Tour

When Happy Gilmore joins the tour, he quickly learns that he has to hire his own caddy and not have one provided. Who does he pick? Oh, just Otto (Allen Covert), the homeless man cleaning windshields in the parking lot.

Retrieving His Own Ball From The Lake

If you hit a ball in one of the water hazards on a golf course, you’re supposed to take a one-stroke penalty and pull out a replacement from your bag. But not Happy. No, the titular hero from Happy Gilmore goes as far as to jump into the lake, retrieve his ball, and finish the round soaking wet. He still gets that one-stroke penalty, though.

When He Took Out The Gator That Took Chubb’s Hand

There has to be a rule (written or unwritten) about golfers taking a minute from their round and picking a fight with an alligator. Sure, Happy does this to get back at the gator that took Chubb’s hand all those years ago. However, jumping into the water, wrestling a massive reptile, and then killing it probably isn’t going to make the tour or FCC happy from all those complaints.

Donning A Hockey Jersey And T-Shirts Instead Of Proper Attire

It’s hard to imagine Happy Gilmore wearing anything besides an old Boston Bruins jersey or tattered T-shirt, but the diehard hockey fan’s attire really isn’t your standard golf garb. Despite the unorthodox look, Happy looks pretty, pretty cool out there on the links.

When He Started Hustling At The Driving Range

Everyone loves a good hustle, right? Before Happy found out about the tour and the big bucks, he tried to save his grandma’s house from the IRS by hustling marks at the driving range. An easy way to make some money with a 400-yard drive? You bet. But still frowned upon by the golf purists of the world.

The ‘Why Didn’t You Just Go Home?’ Putting Incident

The “Why didn’t you just go home?” freakout in Happy Gilmore is one of the best golf scenes of all time, but it’s probably not the best way of going about putting in pro golf. But hey, it gave the audience some excitement at the AT&T Invitational and moviegoers an iconic moment.

Throwing The Putting Green Flag Like A Javelin

The freakout near the end of the AT&T Invitational portion of Happy Gilmore is like one great golf faux pas after another. Sandwiched in the middle there is a brief yet hilarious moment in which Happy takes out the putting green flag and throws it like a javelin, narrowly avoiding an ESPN cameraman.

The Time He Destroyed The Mini Golf Course

The clown deserved it after repeatedly blocking Happy’s shot at the mini golf course, but this outburst, which resulted in some serious property damage, made the ill-tempered golfer look more like Adam Sandler’s character from Anger Management.

The Meltdown At The AT&T Invitational

You know how you make a barrage of profanities even better? Well, you add in some bleeping to really drive home the effect. That’s what happens when Happy loses his mind after missing one too many putts on the green.

The Time He Rode His Club Like A Bull

Happy doesn’t just freak out on the putting green. No, at times he can’t hold back his joy and does some wild things with his clubs and everyone around him. Look no further than the “riding the bull” celebration in which Happy uses his club-like livestock and runs around the hole jumping with joy.

And Then There’s The Autograph Scene

Happy Gilmore pretty much predicted how crazy golf crowds would get in the years that followed its release, but we’ve never seen Tiger Woods sign women’s bare chests before. John Daly might have at some point, but never on camera like Happy.

When He Tried To Fight Shooter McGavin

Not only does Happy challenge Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald) to a serious bet in the Tour Championship, but he also tries to fight him earlier in the movie. The broken beer bottle heard around the world (or at least the golf course bar) looks great, but probably not the best for pro golfers.

It Looks Awesome, But The Hockey Stick Putter Isn’t Legal, Right?

There are some wild variations of the putter out there, but nothing comes close to Happy Gilmore’s hockey-inspired putter gifted to him by Chubbs. Is this thing even legal?

When He Threw His Putter Toward His Caddy

Happy Gilmore doesn’t just send balls flying 400 yards, he also has a habit of throwing his clubs around. One of the best examples of this is in the final tour event when a frustrated Happy throws his putter towards the crowd. But who’s there to catch it? Yep, Otto.

And Then There’s The Time He Took Like A Hundred Swings And Threw A Rock In The Water

Happy’s descent into madness near the end of the movie is a sight to see (even if you cut out all those ridiculous daydreams and nightmares). One of the funniest displays of Happy’s anger takes place when he takes like a hundred swings at the ball (missing each time) before slamming his club into the ground and then throwing a rock into the water.

The Celebratory Run Through The Crowd At The Tour Championship

Hard to say if there are any official rules barring golfers from running through the crowd at a major championship, but it’s probably frowned upon by those golfing purists out there. But Happy Gilmore doesn’t fall into that camp, as he gets the crowd all fired up in the Tour Championship in a silly yet awesome scene.

The Time He Tossed The Ball Into The Crowd Like A Foul Ball At A Baseball Game

The crowds in Happy Gilmore get crazier and crazier as the movie goes on, at one point looking more like something you’d see at a minor league baseball on dollar hotdog night. And Happy doesn’t try to calm them down, like the time he threw a golf ball over the heads of a group of men with “Happy Rules” painted across their chests and backs.

The Time He Made Fun Of Another Golfer’s Clothes

And there’s the time Happy Gilmore makes fun of the golfer in front of him solely because of the man’s outfit. Sure, it’s a terrible fashion choice and no one in the right mind would allow their husband/son/father/friend/themselves to leave the house like that, but this is a game of class. Or, at least it used to be.

Not Knowing About The Golden Jacket

Happy Gilmore not knowing that the winner of the Tour Championship is gifted a golden jacket is to be expected, as he never watched or played golf before meeting Chubbs. But again, it proves the point that the aspiring hockey player knew absolutely nothing about the game he was about to dominate.

Showing Up To The Tour Welcoming Dinner In An AC/DC Shirt

While everyone shows up in their golden jackets (not Shooter, though) at the party ahead of the AT&T Invitational, Happy Gilmore shows up rocking an AC/DC shirt and an old pair of jeans. But it’s not like it was an act of rebellion, it just happened to be the outfit he wore that day.

The Batting Cage Incident

This doesn’t have much to do with golf, but it’s just too good to leave off. Before meeting Chubbs and changing his life direction, Happy gears up for hockey tryouts (which are only 364 days away), by standing in front of a pitching machine firing fastballs at full speed. Just don’t try that at home.

Kissing The Tour’s PR Manager On The 18th Hole

Yeah, Happy and Virginia Venit (Julie Bowen) kiss earlier in the movie and are kind of a thing, but it’s not really a good look for the tour’s public relations manager and its controversial star golfer to be making out on the 18th hold after his victory.

Though Probably Against The Rules, The Final Putt At The Tour Championship Is So Awesome

Just before Happy can putt himself to victory and a golden jacket, a group of overeager fans bring a scaffolding down on the 18th hole, forcing the intrepid golfer to come up with a unique way to beat Shooter. The wild shot looks more like a rube goldberg machine than anything else and probably wouldn’t fly with tour management, but it looks so freaking cool and kind of makes sense in this hilarious sports comedy.

Sending An Angry Mob To Catch Shooter McGavin

Just when Happy thinks his troubles with Shooter are over, the sore loser runs off with his opponent’s gold jacket, resulting in Happy unleashing an angry mob, led by the late Richard Kiel’s character, to hunt him down. That sounds like a good way to get kicked off the tour and put in jail.

When He Hit A Golf Ball Towards A House, Not Once But Three Times

The scene early on in the movie when Happy realizes he can hit the crap out of the ball is glorious in so many ways. However, repeatedly hitting balls toward the same house (hitting the owners in the process) goes against more than a few rules of golf etiquette. Still funny, though.

Yeah, It Was The Crowd, But Happy Turns The Tour Into A Traveling Party/Freak Show

Okay, it’s totally the crowd getting all wild and crazy and turning golf events into a traveling party or freak show, but who brought them there? Yeah, that was Happy. Though the crowds’ behavior goes against the grain, they do make the events a lot more fun.

When He Didn’t Know A 400-Yard Drive Was ‘Unbelievable’

Here’s how little Happy knows about golf at the beginning of the great golf movie. When he drives the ball a staggering 400 yards, he has no idea if that is good or bad. It’s not just good, Happy, it’s absolutely bonkers.

More and more details keep emerging about the upcoming Happy Gilmore 2, and I’m beyond hyped to return to the world of one of the best '90s movies. OG cast member Julie Bowen's cameo talk already had me stoked, but if reports are to be believed, the sequel, three decades in the making, is bringing back another fan-favorite character, and I’m shocked–in the best way possible. I’ll give you a hint of who it is: “You can trouble me for a warm glass of shut-the-hell-up! Now, you will go to sleep! Or I will PUT you to sleep.”

According to a report from ComicBook, a recent batch of production photos confirmed that Ben Stiller is also set to return. Stiller will be reprising his role as the unforgettable (and hilariously terrible) nursing home orderly, Hal L., who tormented Happy’s grandma in the original film.

Stiller was spotted filming scenes this week, sporting Hal’s signature name tag and unmistakable attitude. While we don’t know exactly how Hal’s return fits into the storyline of Happy Gilmore 2, it’s safe to say his scenes will be memorable, given his scene-stealing role in the first movie. As for the plot? Details are still being kept under wraps, but casting news has been trickling in, giving fans plenty to look forward to.

Sandler has been teasing some of the new cast for a while. Back in August, he hinted at Kansas City Chief player Travis Kelce’s involvement, saying on The Tonight Show, “We have something nice for Travis,” when asked about the NFL star’s rumored role. Kelce himself was equally coy on his podcast New Heights, saying he’d do “anything to be involved” in HG 2. “I didn’t even know there was a job opening for Happy Gilmore 2, but if there is, I’ll be a freaking extra,” Kelce joked, sharing his enthusiasm to be part of Sandler’s universe.

It sounds like the upcoming 2025 movie release is shaping up to be a worthy sequel to one of the best golf movies, and well worth the wait.

Unfortunately for fans hoping to catch Happy Gilmore 2 on the big screen, the film will skip theaters entirely and head straight streaming, meaning you’ll need a Netflix subscription. While Sandler’s partnership with one of the best streaming service platforms has been incredibly successful, there’s something nostalgic about seeing his classic characters like Happy Gilmore on the big screen—where the original helped cement Sandler as a comedy legend. Whether it's on a big screen or small, though, it will be exciting to see Stiller return as the evil mustachioed Hal.

Happy Gilmore 2 doesn't currently have a release date, but filming is expected to end sometime this month so it’s likely drop in the later half of next year. We will be sure to give you updates if anything changes, but, until then check out all the upcoming Netflix movies and TV shows to watch while waiting.

Happy Gilmore 2 is finally happening, and franchise lead Adam Sandler is reprising his role as the titular, temperamental hockey player-turned-golfer. Joining Sandler in the 2025 movie release will be Christopher MacDonald, who returns as Shooter McGavin, and Julie Bowen, who’s set to reprise Virginia Venit. While plot details are being kept under wraps, the stars have been hinting what fans can expect. I’m personally excited by Bowen’s tease regarding the film’s cameos, though what I really love is her sweet take on reuniting with Sandler.

What Did Julie Bowen Say About The Cameos In Happy Gilmore 2?

It’s not unusual for any of Adam Sandler’s movies to feature brief appearances from major stars, and Happy 2 will follow suit. Those who need fresh evidence of that should be happy to hear what Julie Bowen had to say. Ever enthusiastic, the Modern Family alum hyped up the flick while speaking with People. She obviously didn’t go into specifics in regard to the stars she managed to rub shoulders with. However, it sounds like even she was enamored by the level of talent that rolled up to the set on a daily basis:

Fans could surely get hyped following that “huge” tease. This update comes after the reveals of a couple of other major cameos from professional sports figures. After some rumors made the rounds, Adam Sandler confirmed Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs for the movie. Not only that, but golfer John Daly revealed that he would appear in HG2 as well and confirmed that his material had already been filmed. Considering how Adam Sandler rolls as well as the tease above, there are sure to be more big names in the mix that we just don’t know about.

It’s refreshing to hear that the Totally Killer actress was so excited to be in the presence of major stars, considering her own celebrity status. However, her admiration for the Waterboy icon will truly warm your heart.

Julie Bowen Shared Some Lovely Thoughts On Adam Sandler

Happy Gilmore 2 isn’t the first time that Julie Bowen has worked with Adam Sandler since they shot the first film. They previously collaborated on the 2020 spooky comedy Hubie Halloween as well. Based on the additional comments that Bowen shared with People, the Billy Madison star has changed, in some respects, over the years. However, it sounds like he’s done so in all the best possible ways:

It’s true that the Uncut Gems star does indeed hire a lot of his friends and frequent collaborators for his movies, which apparently contributes to a positive atmosphere. The bulk of these features are made under Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions banner, which has been in existence for nearly 25 years now. Lauren Lapkus, who starred in the Happy Madison-produced film The Wrong Missy, spoke about why Sandler’s film’s work so well, attributing it to the family-like vibe on the sets.

The comments from both Lauren Lapkus and Julie Bowen seem to indicate that Adam Sandler’s approach to hiring people and his way of setting the tone on sets is much appreciated. When it comes to Bowen, I can’t wait to see her reprise her role as Virginia in Happy Gilmore 2 and share the screen with notable stars. Also, the viewing experience will be that much sweeter for me knowing just how much Bowen relished working with Sandler.

A release date has yet to be announced for Happy Gilmore 2, though reports suggest that it could be released for Netflix subscription holders around March 2025. In the meantime, you can stream the film’s famous predecessor using a subscription to Starz.

Fans of Adam Sandler's beloved sports comedy Happy Gilmore have been waiting for a sequel for years, and their patience is about to pay off. The upcoming Happy Gilmore 2 is now officially in production, and new updates are starting to emerge. With fresh details breaking, it's hard to say what's more exciting—the involvement of golfer John Daly or the news about the release date!

John Daly, known for his colorful personality and power on the golf course, confirmed with OutKick that he is indeed part of the sequel. It honestly makes sense that Adam Sandler would want to include the athlete in the film, given his connection to the game of golf. As some may remember golf veterans Mark Lye and Lee appeared in the original movie. As for where Daly stands production-wise, he provided great news:

Yet, what's even more exciting is that the 58-year-old sports icon also hinted that fans won’t have to wait too long to see the sequel, as it’s likely to debut early on the 2025 movie release schedule. Big John teased that the flick will mostly likely hit one of the best streaming services, Netflix, potentially around March or April next year. With a wink and a smile, he added a playful "Shh!" to keep things under wraps, though my excitement is impossible to contain.

Can you believe it? While a sequel to one of the most iconic ‘90s comedies once seemed unlikely, "Wild Thing" John Daly is giving us a lot of hope that we're now less than a year away from it becoming a reality. Not to mention, we get to see one of the most wildest athletes ever to play the sport involved in some capacity! But will it be a cameo as himself or as a character? That's hard to say but, regardless, I'm sure he'll be utilized in a fun way.

I'm excited about Daly's involvement, but many questions about the plot still linger. In September 2024, Netflix confirmed that Christopher McDonald would return as one of the meanest ‘90s movie villains, Shooter McGavin, alongside Julie Bowen as Virginia Venit. What's particularly intriguing is that Bowen revealed the cast will be de-aged for some flashback scenes as well. This leaves me curious about what to expect from the follow-up.

Happy Gilmore 2 is also bringing in some more serious star power from the sports world. Three-time Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce, who always seems to be making headlines, has been linked to the Sandler-led sequel since May 2024—and now it’s official. When Adam Sandler appeared on Kelce’s New Heights podcast in August, he confirmed that the Kansas City Chiefs tight end would be part of the film, though he didn’t spill any details on the role. One thing we do know? Kelce already has that classic Gilmore swing down pat, so he’s clearly ready to tee off alongside Daly and the rest of the cast.

With John Daly’s confirmation of his involvement and possible early 2025 release, Happy Gilmore 2 is shaping up to be a must-watch event. The only question is whether fans will be ready to laugh just as hard as they did 28 years ago. Fingers crossed.

While it can and has been done well, de-aging actors in films can also be a bit precarious, so I was surprised to learn that the upcoming Happy Gilmore 2 would be using this technique. However, since it's been almost 30 years since the release of the great '90s movie from Adam Sandler and a lot of the original cast is coming back, Julie Bowen explained how they're putting this post-production process to good use.

The world has changed a lot since 1996 when Happy Gilmore first released, especially in the realm of technology. Some advancements, like AI, have caused concern in the film industry because it’s a less authentic shortcut that takes away acting jobs. However, when used with integrity, it can help create some pretty cool effects. Coupled with post editing and skilled makeup, filmmakers have the option to de-age their actors, which is a technique Bowen told Collider the movie has decided to utilize for a good reason:

Overall, I'm very intrigued to see how they use de-aging in the film. Honestly, I can't wait to see this cast both in the present day and back in the '90s.

The Big Daddy actor does have a habit of re-hiring actors in his films, but as a Sandler enthusiast, I love to see how many familiar faces I can spot. A typical Happy Madison production includes a healthy amount of SNL alum, famous cameos, and an appearance by his wife Jackie. For example, Happy Gilmore director Dennis Dugan makes a brief cameo as the alcoholic doctor in Grown Ups 2.

Also, cameos like Travis Kelce and Margaret Qualley have already been confirmed for Happy Gilmore 2. However, I’m sure we can expect to see some of Sandler’s OG buddies on the putting green as well. For example, it would make sense for Kevin Nealon to make a reappearance as one of Happy’s pro golf opponents.

However, given Happy Gilmore was filmed just about 3 decades ago, some of the film’s essential actors have died. And while we hold the power to de-age, we cannot conjure up scenes without any new footage. For the most part, though, I think the sequel will be able to find ways around the absence of Bob Barker and Gilmore’s grandma, but as the sentimental guy he is, it’s my hope that the Murder Mystery actor scripts a tribute to these characters on screen.

Given these possibilities and limitations, I wonder what moments the writers have decided to flashback to. While I'm certain these scenes will include new instances from the '90s (hence the de-aging), I also hope the iconic ending with Happy making the put off the fallen tower to win it will be included. And unlike Julie Bowen, I’m excited to see them briefly return to ‘90s fashion to see what trends have held up or are making a comeback. Let’s see if they can track down that vintage Bruins jersey.

All that being said, I have yet to see an Adam Sandler movie I have not enjoyed. They are timeless. So, I'm positive I'll enjoy this legacy sequel, and I'm interested to see how they use de-aging. In the end, though, as long as this continuation has the same heart as the first installment, all will be well.

Eventually, Happy Gilmore 2 will be available to watch with a Netflix subscription pending release date. Hopefully, it will appear on our 2025 movie schedule, and as we learn more about that and how they're making the movie, we'll be sure to keep you posted.

Look, I love Adam Sandler. You love Adam Sandler. We all love Adam Sandler!

So, why was I so shocked to discover then that my students, who are all around the age of 12, also love Sandler? This all came about because several of them interrupted my class to ask me if I knew that he was at their local park the other day.

Now, I don't know about the accuracy of this sighting (perhaps if he was around my school, he could have been scouting out a location for one of his upcoming movies). But, needless to say, I was stunned that they even knew who Sandler was, let alone that they “loved” him. When I asked them what movies of his they loved, these were the ones they told me.

Leo 

When Sandler made a $250 million deal with Netflix back in 2014, I never imagined that that number would be bumped up considerably ten years later.

What I also never imagined was that one of the movies that would be produced with Netflix would be the 2023 animated flick, Leo.

Leo, which CinemaBlend's own Philip Sledge was surprised by how much he enjoyed it, is the story of a class pet who suddenly discovers that his life might be ending sooner rather than later. He decides to escape his confines, only to learn that maybe he was better off right where he started.

A few of my students told me that this was their introduction to Adam Sandler, and that they loved the story first, and wondered who the lizard's voice was second. It also makes sense that my middle school students would enjoy this family-friendly film, as it's silly with just the right amount of sweetness.

Plus, the enemy is a crotchety old substitute teacher, so I suppose it resonates with some of my students, as I'm sure they've dealt with a few of them during my absences.

Hotel Transylvania  

Okay, so Leo was a little surprising to me as some of my students’ introduction to Sandler, but it made perfect sense that most of them learned about Mr. Opera Man himself via his animated series, Hotel Transylvania.

That's because the Hotel Transyvania movies (three of them voiced by Sandler) are a very popular franchise with four films, and they deals with famous Hollywood monsters in silly situations. What more could you possibly want?

All of the movies are somewhat different, but the basic premise is that Dracula owns a hotel for monsters, and that world gets flipped upside down when his secluded daughter falls in love with a human. Hijinks ensue. I can't fault my students for liking this series, because I like it, too!

Pixels 

In this 2015 Chris Columbus movie, Sandler and a host of others fight off aliens who have taken on the forms of old school video games like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, etc. In a post story scene, it's implied that Josh Gad’s character has children with Q*Bert. It’s…interesting.

But, what's also surprising to me is that 1) my students have even seen Pixels, and 2) some of them consider it their favorite Adam Sandler movie. We were particularly kind to the flick in our review, but many critics savaged the film. Even so, some of my students really love it, so it definitely has that going for it.

Hubie Halloween 

In this modern Halloween classic, the actor plays what many people might consider a loser (something Sandler has portrayed in his best and worst movies quite well over his lengthy career). He loves his town, but most people don’t love him back. In fact, they openly mock him, which is why they don’t believe it when he thinks a werewolf is on the loose. But, things turn up for Hubie in the end of this silly horror comedy.

I’ll be honest with you, not all of Hubie Halloween works, but when it does, it really does. In fact, the only student who picked this as her favorite Adam Sandler movie said that she watches it every year at Halloween. She finds it “spooky, but not too spooky,” which, I believe, every good horror comedy should be.

Happy Gilmore  

If you’re of a certain age, then you’ve likely seen this classic from 1996. In it, Sandler plays a hockey player who also has a knack for hitting golf balls like a pro. This, of course, upsets the snooty “real” golfers who don’t like that he’s entered their sport with his brash and unorthodox ways. It also stars Carl Weathers. Rest in peace, Derick “Chubbs” Peterson.

If I was surprised that my students loved Sandler, I was even more surprised that a couple of them actually love Happy Gilmore, given that it was way before their time. When I asked them how they saw it, they had similar answers: Their dads liked the movie.

And, you know what? That’s cool with me. As a dad myself, I can definitely see myself showing my kids Happy Gilmore one day. But, only when they’re older.

Grown Ups  

I’m not the first person to think this, but Grown Ups seems like the kind of movie a celebrity makes when they can do whatever they want, and decide that what they want is just to make a movie with their friends.

How else can you explain this 2010 film, which has the paper thin plot of a coach dying, and all of the childhood friends basically just coming together to crack jokes for a little over an hour and a half?

Grown Ups (which got a 2013 sequel) was one of my student’s favorite Sandler films, and what he loved most about it wasn’t even the star, but rather, Kevin James (Not even Chris Rock!), who he finds to be hilarious (he also really likes Here Comes the Boom). So, I guess this student really only likes Sandler by association, which is cool, I guess.

Click 

Click is a unique movie, even by Adam Sandler standards. It’s the story of a workaholic who goes to Bed Bath & Beyond and buys a magical remote control that he can use to alter reality. Think of it like one of Thanos’ infinity stones, but way more mundane. With this power, he fast forwards through stuff he doesn’t like, only to realize that life – even when it sucks – is still worth living.

More than a few students said that Click was their favorite pick, and like Hotel Translyvania, it’s not hard to understand why. The magical element makes this an interesting film, but it also has a nice message about not wanting to speed through life and to take your time. It’s a good one.

Big Daddy  

Lastly, my favorite Sandler movie (that isn’t Uncut Gems), is Big Daddy, which is the story of a guy whose girlfriend doesn’t think he’s mature enough, so he adopts a kid to prove her wrong, only to actually mature in the process.

I’ll be honest with you – Big Daddy might not hold up as well today as it did back in the late ‘90s (kind of like Shallow Hal in the early 2000s), as it does kind of feel a little misogynistic in this day and age. But, I still have a certain nostalgic love for this film.

So, it was bizarre to me that one of my students also liked it even though he couldn’t really put into words what he liked about it, other than the fact that he thought it was funny. And, I agree!

Big Daddy, for all its faults, is still a really funny movie, and one that I think is a decent pick for anybody’s favorite Sandler flick.

For more news on all things Adam Sandler, be sure to swing by here often!

Whenever we talk about the best ‘90s movies, it doesn’t take long before the conversation turns to the most iconic actors of the final decade of the 20th century and their most beloved performances. But what are Will Smith’s, Julia Roberts’, or Keanu Reeves’ best movies for the unforgettable and transformative 10-year stretch? 

We’re being totally subjective here (Because why not?), but here are the best ‘90s movies for these 32 actors. Best Picture winners, a handful of the best action movies of all time, and other films that turned up-and-comers into overnight megastars can all be found below.

Will Smith (Independence Day)

Will Smith was already a household name by the time Independence Day was released and became the biggest movie of 1996, but this massive sci-fi flick took him to new heights. Electric, magnetic, and charismatic beyond belief, the Fresh Prince became the King of the summer blockbuster with his portrayal of Captain Steven Hiller.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic)

Is there a bigger ‘90s movie than Titanic, both in terms of financial returns and cultural prominence? Yeah, James Cameron’s story of the ill-fated ship, his special effects, and the rest of the cast made this 1997 disaster movie a must-see, but Leonardo DiCaprio, with his “King of the World” moment, made this an all-timer. 

Tom Cruise (Jerry Maguire)

Picking the best ‘90s movie for Tom Cruise is no easy task, considering some of the actor’s best performances took place that decade. However, despite Magnolia and Mission: Impossible being great in their own ways, this has to go to Cruise’s dynamic portrayal of the struggling sports agent in Jerry Maguire. “Show me the money,” is a quote we keep in our repertoire nearly 30 years later. 

Sandra Bullock (Speed)

Sandra Bullock put herself on the map with her performance in Speed, one of the most iconic 1994 movies. Though she was great in Demolition Man the year before, Bullock’s take on Annie Porter made her an overnight sensation and quickly became one of her best roles to date, even outside the ‘90s.

Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption)

How Morgan Freeman didn’t win an Oscar for his performance in The Shawshank Redemption is one of the biggest mysteries, and travesties, in Hollywood history. His portrayal of Ellis "Red" Redding in this spectacular Stephen King adaptation is so strong and so believable that you don’t see him as an actor playing an inmate, but more like an aging prisoner trying to “get busy living or get busy dying.”

Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction)

As much as we would have loved to argue for Jurassic Park being Samuel L. Jackson’s best ‘90s movie, Ray Arnold has nothing on the bad mother [redacted] that was Jules Winnfield from Pulp Fiction. Easily Quentin Tarantino’s best movie, this 1994 classic is essentially a master class in dialogue and non-linear storytelling.

Meg Ryan (Sleepless In Seattle)

A few years after leading the best romantic comedy of all time with When Harry Met Sally, Meg Ryan teamed up with Nora Ephron (who was directing this time around) for Sleepless in Seattle in 1993. The chemistry between Ryan and Tom Hanks as Annie Reed and Sam Baldwin, is incredible, even if they only share a couple minutes of screentime.

Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman)

It’s hard to imagine what Julia Roberts’ career and Hollywood in general would be like if the actress didn’t play Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman. Sure, Roberts already had some hits and would have gone on to land big roles, but this 1990 rom-com instantly made her one of the brightest stars on the planet and showed off her dynamic range and impeccable comedic timing.

Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To Do With It)

Angela Bassett’s best movie, What’s Love Got to Do with It saw the celebrated actress take on the role of the legendary Tina Turner in this 1993 biopic about the late singer’s life, career, and toxic relationship with husband and music partner Ike Turner. Bassett had some pretty iconic ‘90s roles throughout the decade, but this is at the tippy top of the mountain.

Keanu Reeves (The Matrix)

Picking Keanu Reeves’ best movie of the 1990s is more difficult than you’d think. Point Break, My Private Idaho, and Speed are all contenders, but none come close to the heights of The Matrix and his performance as Neo, aka, the One. Watching Reeves’ character develop throughout this great ‘90s sci-fi film never gets old.

Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting)

Robin Williams had SO many good movies in the ‘90s, but Good Will Hunting was in a league of its own, at least in terms of performances by the late comedian. The richness, range, and emotion found in his portrayal of Sean Maguire is something to behold. No wonder he took home an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Bruce Willis (The Sixth Sense)

The ‘90s saw Bruce Willis play everything from his most iconic character in the second and third Die Hard movies to the leads in multiple blockbusters. However, none of those compare to his work in The Sixth Sense. There is just something so warm and refreshing about his portrayal of a child psychiatrist trying to help a young boy make sense of life and his strange gift.

Harrison Ford (The Fugitive)

Have you gone back and watched The Fugitive lately? If not, do so now. If you have, you’re all too familiar with Harrison Ford’s performance as Richard Kimble, the Chicago doctor trying to clear his name after being wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife. Air Force One and Clear and Present Danger are great, but this 1993 thriller is one of Ford’s career-best.

Frances McDormand (Fargo)

Frances McDormand’s portrayal of Marge Gunderson in the Coen Brothers' Fargo earned the actress the first of her three Academy Awards, and for good reason: she’s the heart and soul of the 1996 crime comedy.  

Gary Oldman (The Fifth Element)

Gary Oldman played some of the meanest ‘90s villains in movies like Air Force One, Leon: The Professional, and The Fifth Element, the latter of which features his best work of the decade. Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg is one of those characters that you love to hate and enjoy watching as much as the 1997 sci-fi film’s hero, which is saying something.

Wesley Snipes (White Men Can't Jump)

In the years following his breakout performance in Major League, Wesley Snipes became one of the dependable faces in Hollywood thanks to unforgettable turns in New Jack City, Demolition Man, and Jungle Fever. But let’s be real, Snipes’ take on Syd Deane is one of the most iconic ‘90s characters and essentially carries this all-time great basketball movie.

Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan)

Tom Hanks dominated the ‘90s with Oscar-winning performances in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump as well as other decade-defining films like Toy Story and A League of Their Own. But in terms of the BEST movie, that has to go to Saving Private Ryan, Steven Spielberg’s harrowing World War II epic about heroism, survival, and the hope of a better tomorrow.

Robert De Niro (Cape Fear)

We could have listed Goodfellas, Heat, or even A Bronx Tale as Robert De Niro’s best movie from the ‘90s, but his performance as Max Cady in Cape Fear is on a whole other level. Easily one of the Oscar winner’s most menacing characters, the psychopathic ex-con with a bone to pick is a force of pure evil here.

Al Pacino (Heat)

After playing all-time great gangsters in the ‘70s and ‘80s, Al Pacino was on the other side of the law in Michael Mann’s 1995 crime epic, Heat. Sure, Scent of a Woman earned him that elusive Oscar for Best Actor, but his take on Lieutenant Vincent Hanna is the stuff of legend. Plus, we also got to see Pacino and Robert De Niro share a scene for the first time.

Anthony Hopkins (The Silence Of The Lambs)

Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs is one of the greatest performances of all time. That said, it should be no surprise that this great horror film gets the call here. Though there was some stiff competition.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Boogie Nights)

As much as we would love to break down all the awesome ways Philip Seymour Hoffman stole the show in Twister and My Boyfriend’s Back, the late actor really came into his own in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1997 drama, Boogie Nights. Hoffman’s sympathetic take on Scotty J. was nothing short of brilliant and showed what was to come.

Jodie Foster (The Silence Of The Lambs)

If you were to break down Jodie Foster’s best performances, her portrayal of Clarice Starling would be at or near the top of that list. A movie that has been quoted or referenced countless times over the years, this 1991 thriller remains one of the best ever made.

Brad Pitt (Seven)

David Fincher’s Seven is Brad Pitt’s best movie from the ‘90s for a variety of reasons: 1) the movie about a serial killer taking lives based on the seven deadly sins is violently unique, 2) it was the start of a partnership between actor and director, and 3) Pitt showed he was more than a pretty face and really had what it took.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (T2: Judgment Day)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is not only a decade-defining action movie or a landmark achievement in visual effects, it’s also Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best movie of the ‘90s and perhaps all time. James Cameron’s sequel is bigger and louder than its predecessor and epic beyond compare.

Whoopi Goldberg (Sister Act)

Whoopi Goldberg won her first Academy Award for her role as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost, a film that kicked off an impressive decade for the comedian and actor. Her spiritual guide for Patrick Swayze’s ghostly Sam Wheat in this supernatural thriller helped anchor the film and turn it into the biggest movie of 1990.

Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting)

Matt Damon went from a relatively unknown actor to one of the brightest faces (and voices) in Hollywood thanks to Good Will Hunting. His tortured performance as a young math prodigy in South Boston is still captivating more than 25 years later.

Eddie Murphy (The Nutty Professor)

Eddie Murphy did a little bit of everything in the ‘90s, but The Nutty Professor shows off some of the comedian’s best work. Playing multiple characters (heroes, villains, and in between) really showed off Murphy’s dynamic range and varied comedic styles.

Adam Sandler (Happy Gilmore)

Though Big Daddy proved that Adam Sandler could handle slightly more dramatic roles, there’s no denying the fact that Happy Gilmore is the former SNL star’s best ‘90s movie. His take on a failed hockey player finding new purpose (and fortune) in the world of golf was a game-changer and created one of the best sports characters of all time.

Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)

Denzel Washington is another actor who had more great roles in the ‘90s than we can count, but at the top of his “best” list is Spike Lee’s 1992 biopic, Malcolm X. The movie about the controversial civil rights icon was eye-opening, enchanting, and epic.

Joe Pesci (Goodfellas)

We could have talked about My Cousin Vinny, we could have talked about Home Alone, and we could have even made a case for Casino, but none of that is possible without Goodfellas. The movie, which introduced the world to Joe Pesci’s Tommy DeVito, is one of the greatest gangster movies of all time and an influential piece of cinema we still rave about 30-plus years later.

Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise)

Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise, a movie featuring one of the best female friendships with Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis’ titular characters, helped kickstart the decade back in 1990. Easily Sarandon’s best movie of the ‘90s, this crime drama about two friends on the run from the law is just so dang great.

Jim Carrey (Dumb & Dumber)

Jim Carrey absolutely dominated the ‘90s comedy scene, and the box office in general back in 1994. While Ace Ventura Pet Detective and The Mask both have their moments, we have to be real for a second and admit that Dumb and Dumber is some of Carrey’s best work.

Movie fans had lots to love in the '90s and these actors and their best movies of the decade will never be forgotten.

Actors who take on roles playing professional athletes often talk about the pressure. Most sporting events take place in front of live crowds, which means there are often key scenes in which something athletically dramatic happens in front of a large group of real people. That puts pressure on the actor to step up and do it in a short amount of takes to keep the crowd’s energy up and make their reaction as big as possible. Fortunately, Shooter McGavin actor Christopher McDonald apparently thrives under pressure, and one of Happy Gilmore’s best moments came out of that.

The fantastic character actor recently did an interview with US Weekly to promote The M&M’s Peanut Butter Championship, a New York City based mini-golf experience where people tried to win a year’s supply of Peanut Butter M&Ms. The outlet obviously asked him about his experiences shooting Happy Gilmore, and he dropped a behind the scenes story I’ve never heard before.

You know the film’s big finish where Happy and Shooter square off on the last hole? McGavin famously sinks a long putt to save par, but Gilmore winds up winning after making his putt using an improvised Rube Goldberg Machine. Well, apparently director Dennis Dugan told McDonald he could have five chances to sync the putt for real before he would change the set-up and use cuts so he didn’t have to make the putt for real. Sure enough, on the fifth attempt, McDonald stepped up and drained it, which led him to yell out an improvised “Choke on that, baby!” Here’s his version of the story…

I think what makes Shooter McGavin such a memorable villain is that he has a ton of great lines and legitimately funny moments in the movie. He’s not some clown that Gilmore gets the better of repeatedly. He’s a douchey quote machine who’s good at golf and yells fun insults like “go back to your shanties.” He also sometimes has a valid point, like when he complains about how distracting it is to try and chip with fat naked bikers having sex in the woods next to you.  

It also helps that McDonald is the guy playing him. He’s a fantastic character actor who has been in a ton of incredible movies and TV shows including Requiem For A Dream, Quiz Show and Boardwalk Empire. Recently, he was nominated for an Emmy for his work opposite Jean Smart in Hacks. By any definition, he’s had a terrific career, but there’s something about his portrayal of Shooter McGavin that just resonates with people. More than twenty-five years after the movie first hit theaters, it remains his defining role for millions of people, and it’s really refreshing to see how proud he is of the divot it left in so many people’s brains.

Fortunately, we may get to see some more of Shooter in the near future. Adam Sandler is working on Happy Gilmore 2, and McDonald has said he’s excited and willing to come back in any capacity, as he loves the first movie and feels privileged to have connected with so many fans over the years both on and off the golf course about it. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is also rumored to be making a cameo, but beyond that, details are scarce. Personally, I can’t wait to watch it and hope they do something special to honor all the great cast members we’ve lost over the years.

It’s starting to look like the schedule of upcoming 2025 movies could be a Happy day for fans of both Adam Sandler and Travis Kelce. As Happy Gilmore 2 is about to start filming the legacy-quel to one of the best ‘90s movies known to humanity, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end has been confirmed to have “a nice little something” waiting for him on the set.

And surprisingly, not only has the SNL vet been planning this for some time, but Mr. Kelce can hit a hell of a drive on the green. Travis Kelce’s previously rumored Happy Gilmore 2 role is now truly happening, and the Sandman himself graced the Kelce Brothers’ New Heights podcast to talk about it.

The hosts couldn’t have picked a better time to drop that episode, thanks to Wondery’s recent acquisition of the Kelce Brothers’ podcast. So having a conversation with the Uncut Gems star revealing this bit of shot calling from the script phase of this upcoming Adam Sandler movie is an even more exciting get:

Well there go my dreams of Travis Kelce being the son and/or apprentice to Ben Stiller’s crazed nursing home orderly from the Happy Madison universe. Although we still don’t know if brother/former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce has his own part to play in Happy Gilmore 2.

But let’s shift over to Travis Kelce’s golf skills for a moment, because did anyone else have that on their bingo card? Now if what Travis has claimed in this very same conversation is measured in yards, the typical measurement of distance in golf, then Taylor’s boyfriend does indeed have a pretty sweet drive. Here’s what the man had to say on the subject:

And I bet he could do it with a broken heart too, if he had to! With the standard range for a Driver topping out around 260 yards, that figure above is pretty solid indeed. Though as Travis Kelce himself admitted, it’s the direction that’s the true variable once his powerful swing has put things into play.

Listening to the conversation between Adam Sandler and the Kelce Brothers, the overall picture is looking pretty bright, and that’s even with a pretty serious Happy Gilmore 2 concern firmly in mind. There’s certainly a ton of chemistry already in the room for all parties involved, and you can get a taste of that through the following clip from New Heights’ new episode:

While there’s no confirmed release date for Happy Gilmore 2, the upcoming production start could suggest that 2025 will be the year that Mr. Gilmore will hit the green once more. We’ll have to wait and see, especially since depending on his upcoming football season schedule, Travis Kelce’s availability might be a bit more limited than most movie stars.

So if you’re an Adam Sandler fan, you might want to keep an active Netflix subscription handy. The immediate upside to that is that you’ll be able to revisit some of his originals like Hustle and Murder Mystery in order to pass the time. And, of course, whenever Happy Gilmore 2 lands on the platform's fairway, you'll be set to take that swing as soon as possible.

After it was announced that Adam Sandler would be making a Happy Gilmore 2 for Netflix, excitement from fans of the comedian has been at an all-time high, and speculation has begun about who will return for it. Among the most important characters that we need to see in Happy Gilmore 2 is Shooter McGavin, the golf-obsessed, wildly unlikable villain portrayed by Christopher McDonald. Now, that actor is reflecting on his experience making the film and when he felt like it had reached a huge audience.

In an interview with TV Insider, the actor talked about his own nostalgia surrounding Happy Gilmore, and the impact the movie has had over the last 28 years. At the time, Sandler was just coming off of his Saturday Night Live run, and he was a big star because of it. Christopher McDonald was already a recognizable face from some of his projects like Thelma and Louise and Chances Are, but Happy Gilmore was something so much bigger. He reminisced on this when he realized the extent of the movie’s popularity, saying:

In his own way, McDonald has become a bit of a golf icon himself, receiving attention whenever he attends golf events.

Shooter McGavin may be one of the meanest villains of the '90s, but his performance as the character is iconic, and holds a special place in the hearts of fans. This is why he definitely needs to be a part of Happy Gilmore 2. Thankfully, he is open to the idea of reprising his role. He has yet to read the script, but even his potential involvement is promising. He said:

I wonder what Happy Gilmore 2 could have in store for McDonald's character? At the end of the original movie, Shooter is stampeded by a mob of fans after he tries to steal Happy’s gold jacket. It feels like a bit of an end for the arrogant golfer antagonist, but fans never really see what the outcome is after this beating. I could totally see him surviving, albeit injured, and going after Happy once again for revenge. Even if Shooter isn’t the main villain for the sequel, I know fans would love to see him back for at least a cameo.

Knowing that Sandler and the rest of the creative team have been working on the script for a while is promising. Fans of the original will want to make sure that the story is perfect before going into production, and Happy Gilmore 2 is as funny as it could possibly be. Sandler has made several movies in partnership with Netflix like the Murder Mystery movies, Hustle, and Hubie Halloween. However with such a legacy like Happy Gilmore, and it being considered one of Sandler’s best comedies, there will definitely be a lot of eyes on the project.

We don’t have a release date yet for Happy Gilmore 2, but it will likely be available for those with a Netflix subscription in the near future. In the meantime, fans can revisit Christopher McDonald in the original Happy Gilmore, which is now available to rent on Amazon.