Happy Gilmore 2 Confirms Return Of Romantic Lead Alongside Shooter McGavin For Adam Sandler Sequel
Julie Bowen is officially returning for Happy Gilmore 2. Bowen previously played Virginia Venit, the love interest of Happy Gilmore and a pro golf tour public relations director in the 1996 comedy film. Between 1996 and joining Happy Gilmore 2‘s cast, Bowen has had a variety of roles, the most well-known being Claire Dunphy in ABC’s popular comedy series Modern Family, along with parts in Lost, Boston Legal, and the 2021 Jenna Ortega-led film The Fallout.
Netflix confirmed on X/Twitter that Bowen is reprising her role for Happy Gilmore 2, as is Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin, although McDonald’s return was previously known. Check out the post below:
Happy Gilmore 2 has already begun filming, with Sandler sharing a behind-the-scenes image of Happy’s memorable Boston Bruins jersey. Other than Sandler, Bowen, and McDonald, other cast members have not been announced yet, and story details are still being kept under wraps.
Can Happy Gilmore 2 Break An Adam Sandler Sequel Trend?
His Previous Sequels Have Not Been Well-Received
Despite his longtime career and the variety of projects he has undertaken, Happy Gilmore 2 is only the fourth sequel that Sandler has made. His other sequels are Grown Ups 2, Hotel Transylvania 2, and Murder Mystery 2. All three of his previous sequels have received negative or lukewarm reactions from critics and general audiences, with all three resulting in rotten scores, except for Hotel Transylvania 2‘s barely fresh 64% audience score.
Movie | Tomatometer Score | Popcornmeter Score |
|---|---|---|
Grown Ups 2 (2013) | 8% | 53% |
Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) | 57% | 64% |
Murder Mystery 2 (2023) | 45% | 46% |
Happy Gilmore 2 has an opportunity to end Sandler’s negative sequel trend. As a legacy sequel, it already stands out from Sandler’s previous followups, all of which were released three or four years after their predecessors. Happy Gilmore is often considered one of Sandler’s best movies, which already makes Happy Gilmore 2 the most enticing sequel that the comedic actor has done yet. Hopefully, the execution can match the anticipation.
As thrilling as it is to have Sandler, Bowen, and McDonald reunited, the cast will be missing one of its most important members without Derick “Chubbs” Peterson, played by Carl Weathers, who passed away earlier in 2024. Not having Weathers’ comedic enthusiasm will make it difficult for Happy Gilmore 2 to live up to or surpass the original film. It may not be able to accomplish this feat, but it could still be the best-received sequel to date in Sandler’s career.
Source: Netflix (X/Twitter)
