Happy Gilmore sequel reportedly in development

Everybody stay calm but it looks like a sequel to classic golf comedy Happy Gilmore is in the works.

Since its release in 1996, the tale of Adam Sandler’s wannabe ice hockey pro turned pro golfer Happy has cemented its place in the hearts of golf fans around the world and is generally regarded as one of the best golf movies ever made.

A commercial success, it went straight it at No.2 at the US box office on the opening weekend of its release, eventually grossing $41.2million worldwide.

Talk of a sequel has been rife for years, with Sandler revealing in a September 2022 interview that he was open to the idea of bringing Gilmore back as a golfer competing on the senior tour.

“It hasn’t been discussed, but it certainly has been discussed on the internet,” he said. “Believe me, that senior tour idea, it would be so amazing… Yes, you can greenlight this.”

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[Related: Our deputy editor Michael McEwan wrote this lengthy Twitter thread in January 2022 in which he laid out a possible scenario for precisely such a film.]

However, the rumours have never really gone anywhere… until now.

Speaking on American podcast The Ken Carman Show, Christopher McDonald, who played the villainous Shooter McGavin, revealed that plans to revive Happy are very much a ‘go’.

“I saw Adam about two weeks ago and he said, McDonald, you’re gonna love this,’” he explained. “I said, ‘What is it?’ He said, ‘How about that?’ and he hands me the first draft of Happy Gilmore 2.

“He showed me that and I thought, ‘Wow, that would be awesome’. It’s in the works. Fans demand it. I was very, very pleased when I saw that.”

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The news comes less than two months after the sad passing of Carl Weathers, who played Happy’s coach Chubbs Peterson.

Like Weathers, Frances Bay (Grandma Gilmore), Richard Kiel (Mr Larson) and Bob Barker (himself) have also passed away since the original movie was released.

It’s unclear whether other surviving members of the original cast, including Julie Bowen who played love interest Virginia Venet, or Dennis Dugan, who directed the movie and also played tour boss Doug Thompson, have been approached about a sequel.

Given that the original featured cameos from various professional golfers, including Lee Trevino and Mark Lye, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that a sequel might feature some modern-day stars, too.

Yes, we’re speculating. But that’s only because we’re excited.

Bring it on.