If being hilarious is a crime, then, Adam Sandler would be the guiltiest man alive. The actor is just one of those rare comedic talents giving back-to-back hits, which make the audience laugh their heads off. Throughout his stellar acting career, Sandler has done a ton of films, but his most popular film would be Happy Gilmore.
Despite the low score on the Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is considered to be one of the best films of the actor’s career. To make things more interesting, Netflix has announced a sequel to the 1996 film. However, major concern looms around the film as fans believe none of the actors could replace the legendary actors from their iconic roles.
Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore Receives A Sequel
Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore is a sports comedy and yet another major hit for him. The film tells the story of a failed hockey player having a knack for golf, and with the help of Chubbs Peterson (Carl Weathers), a former professional golf pro, he climbs his way to the top. However, this won’t be easy because Shooter McGavin, an arrogant golfer, wants to win as well and looks for every way to antagonize our protagonist.
There was never a dull moment in the film as it featured a ton of hilarious scenes, including Sandler’s fight with Bob Barker. The film did well as it grossed $41 million at the worldwide box office, as per The Numbers.
After 28 years, the film is getting a sequel. As per THR, the OTT platform announced at its upfront presentation to advertisers on Wednesday, and Adam Sandler would be reprising his iconic role from the first film. However, the writer, director, and the cast of the sequel are under wraps as of now.
4 Legendary Actors Will Be Missing Out on Their Titular Roles in The Netflix Sequel
There’s no doubt that the 1996 film was unmistakably one of the best films of the Billy Madison actor, but a major credit for the film’s gigantic success goes to its cast of legendary Hollywood actors. Surely, Netflix would feature world-class actors in the sequel and they would do a fantastic job in portraying the characters.
However, what the OTT platform cannot do is feature the 4 legendary actors in their iconic roles, as they have all passed away in recent years. Let’s take a closer look at each of the late actors who made the film a massive hit.
4) Frances Bay as Grandma Gilmore
Frances Bay’s portrayal of Grandma Gilmore is considered to be one of the most sympathetic characters, as she was getting evicted from her house, motivating Sandler’s character to win the tournament. The legendary actress died back in 2011 at the age of 92, but what’s more commendable is how she was working as a recurring character on The Middle during that time.
3) Carl Weathers as Chubbs
Carl Weather’s portrayal of Chubbs is one of the most amazing parts of the film, as he was the film’s spine. The actor portrayed the role of a golf instructor as the ever-optimistic hero. The legendary actor continued to be the guiding light of Happy Gilmore till the very end of the film, making it one of his best roles.
The legendary actor has been part of several huge franchises such as Rocky, Creed, Toy Story, and many more. Unfortunately, he passed away on 1st February 2024, making his return to the sequel impossible.
2) Joe Flaherty as Donald
Even though Joe Flaherty did not play a massive role in the film, his contribution remains huge, as he was the man who used to yell “Jack***” at Gilmore. The character was hired by Shooter McDonald (Christopher McDonald) to distract Gilmore during the competition.
However, with several hilarious moments in the film and being one of the most annoying characters to be ever written, Flaherty became an inseparable piece of the film’s success. Sadly, the actor died recently on 1st April 2024, and he was one of those actors who knew about the sequel, and potentially would have returned to reprise his role.
1) Bob Barker as Bob Barker
Even though Bob Barker merely made a cameo in the film, he made it memorable and iconic to the film’s fans because of his fistfight with Sandler’s Happy Gilmore. The one where Sandler shouted, “The price is wrong, b*tch.”
Despite Barker only making a cameo, it was a memorable one. Similar to Stan Lee’s brief cameos in the MCU, leaving the fans laughing but making an indelible impact on the film’s success. Sadly, the actor also left us back on 26th August 2023, and Sandler was one of the many stars who paid tribute to the legendary actor on his Instagram with a heartwarming note.
The release date for Happy Gilmore 2 has not been disclosed yet.
