Netflix Is Making A Sequel To A Beloved Adam Sandler '90s Comedy

Update: It's official: Netflix confirmed it's making "Happy Gilmore 2" during its upfront presentation on May 15, 2024. Original article follows.

Fellow '90s kids, this one's for us. Take one of our greatest comedic stars at the height of his powers, add a little golf (by way of hockey), and sprinkle in one unforgettable cameo by the legendary Bob Barker, and you get a beloved comedy classic in "Happy Gilmore." It may have taken the better part of 30 years, but all signs are pointing to a long-overdue sequel after years and years of rumors over whether "Happy Gilmore 2" would ever actually happen.

The potentially headline-grabbing news, reported with a healthy dose of caveats, comes courtesy of Deadline ... and from a somewhat unlikely source. Rather than getting the news straight from either the studio or Sandler himself, actor Christopher McDonald (who played the awfully unlikable yet aptly named pro golfer Shooter McGavin) revealed the new development while participating in a radio interview on Audacy's 92.3 The Fan. According to McDonald, who stopped just short of admitting that he may have spilled a bit too much info that he probably wasn't supposed to, he heard it from his big-name co-star. As he explained:

"I saw Adam about two weeks ago, and he says to me, 'McDonald, you're gonna love this.' I said, 'What?' He says, 'How about that,' and he shows me the first draft of 'Happy Gilmore 2.'"

Other than the idea of Sandler affectionately referring to his former coworkers on a last-name basis, that's quite the bombshell to drop with absolutely no fanfare whatsoever. McDonald went on to say that, "I thought, 'Well, that would be awesome.' So, it's in the works. Fans demand it, damn it!" Deadline adds that fans can expect this sequel to be developed by Netflix.

It's all in the hips, folks. You just never know where unexpected news for highly-anticipated sequels will come from these days, but there's reason for (cautious) optimism that a "Happy Gilmore" sequel is well and truly in the works. Carefully describing this as a project "in the making" and after doing a little digging that revealed Netflix's involvement, Deadline's report backs up Christopher McDonald's comments about a first draft for "Happy Gilmore 2" being turned in.

The original 1996 movie was co-written by both Tim Herlihy and Adam Sandler and directed by Dennis Dugan. There's no word just yet on the creative team for this sequel, but the Netflix connection does make a certain amount of sense. Sandler and his production company Happy Madison have had a longstanding deal with the streaming service, with Sandler's most recent starring role coming in Netflix's "Spaceman." Sandler has also been attached to upcoming movies by acclaimed directors like Noah Baumbach and another collaboration with the Safdie brothers (following up on the anxiety-inducing "Uncut Gems"), but a return to much more familiar territory wouldn't be the most unwelcome turn of events. Over the years, fans have increasingly gravitated towards Sandler's performance as failed hockey player-turned-golfer Happy Gilmore and held it up as arguably one of his best roles, meaning that there's been plenty of time to build up demand for a sequel.

Stay tuned to /Film for more updates!