Happy Gilmore 2 Would Break A Massive Career Trend For Adam Sandler

Happy Gilmore 2has been teased, and the film coming to fruition would break a massive career trend for comedic actor Adam Sandler. Decades after its release in 1996, Happy Gilmore is still one of Adam Sandler's best movies and is considered one of the best sports comedies ever made despite mixed critical reception. In fact, many of Sandler's classic comedy films have been poorly reviewed by critics, but that hasn't prevented audiences from enjoying them time and time again. Several of his movies are commercial hits, which makes a certain aspect of them so surprising.

Currently, there's no official confirmation from studios about Happy Gilmore 2. However, news spread recently about the potential for a sequel when actor Christopher McDonald, who played the original film's antagonist, discussed it in an interview on The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima. "[Adam Sandler] shows me the first draft of Happy Gilmore 2... I don't wanna be a liar, but he did show me that, and I thought, "Well, that would be awesome." So, it's in the works. Fans demand it, dammit!" McDonald explained, confirming that the project is at least in early development.

Most Of Adam Sandler's Best Movies Never Got A Sequel

Despite their consistent commercial popularity, which seemed irrelevant to critical acclaim, only a few Adam Sandler movies received sequels, none of which are his best work. Classics like Big Daddy and The Waterboy seem ripe for sequels but have never materialized. Adam Sandler is more influential than he's ever been, with his own production company and a lucrative deal with Netflix to develop and star in films for the streaming service. He could likely make a sequel to any of his movies if he wanted, and Netflix would gladly distribute it.

Though they don't always work, there are many great comedy sequels like Anchorman 2 and Meet the Fockers, which embrace over-the-top, laugh-out-loud comedy like Sandler's movies. These movies rarely surpass the original, but that certainly doesn't mean they're not worth making. Many Adam Sandler comedies deserve modern sequels, and this could be the start of an exciting trend in his career. Sequels and reboots are generally surrounded by skepticism, but the exciting thing about Adam Sandler comedies is that even if they're awful, they can still be hilariously entertaining.

Adam Sandler Has Only Done Sequels To Three Of His Films

Out of all his films, the only three Adam Sandler movies to receive sequels are Grown Ups, Murder Mystery, and Hotel Transylvania. Grown Ups and Grown Ups 2 are the perfect example of the fail-safe production of Adam Sandler comedy sequels, as despite both having absolutely abysmal Rotten Tomatoes scores, they both grossed roughly $250 million, making three times their budget just in their theatrical runs. It's the same deal with the Hotel Transylvania movies, both of which grossed around $500 million, though in fairness, they're franchise animated movies.

One of his latest ventures is the Netflix comedy Murder Mystery, which he co-stars in with Jennifer Anniston. Despite being a sequel with a 45% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Murder Mystery 2 is one of the most-watched movies ever on Netflix. The movie was a hit, with 156 million hours watched by subscribers worldwide. All of Adam Sandler's sequels have been commercially successful, even if they've received "Rotten" scores by critic metrics.

Would Happy Gilmore 2 Actually Work?

By all accounts, Happy Gilmore 2 could be an enormous hit. The original movie wasn't a commercial juggernaut but made a profit and increased Adam Sandler's notoriety as a marketable comedic movie lead. Since then, Happy Gilmore has been consistently enjoyed and is considered one of the best sports comedy movies of all time. Adam Sandler's popularity has only increased since 1996. While other comedic stars have come and gone, Sandler is beloved by the generation that watched him in the '90s, as well as younger audiences. No matter how good it is, there would be viewership for the film.

If Adam Sandler's previous Netflix films have been an indicator, slapping his name and face on anything will get people to stream a movie. His sci-fi movie Spaceman received poor critical reception, yet it still appeared on Netflix's top charts surrounding its release. Adding a modern twist to Happy Gilmore could be hilarious, and there are plenty of ways for it to make sense narratively. With a mix of original cast members and fresh faces, Happy Gilmore 2 could be a ton of fun.