How a ‘Happy Gilmore’ superfan ended up directing the sequel
MANILA, Philippines — Almost 30 years after the original “Happy Gilmore” swung its way into the big screen and pop culture history as a beloved sports comedy, Adam Sandler is back and this time, so is Happy. He’s now older, with a family of his own, still not done with golf…or rather, as the movie puts it, golf isn’t still done with him.
Director Kyle Newacheck, who previously worked with Adam on “Murder Mystery,” helmed the highly anticipated sequel now currently on the Top 5 most-watched titles on Netflix Philippines.
But ahead of its premiere, The STAR had an exclusive interview with Kyle, where he shared what makes “Happy Gilmore 2” both a fun throwback and a fresh narrative arc. There are returning faces, new characters that evoke nostalgia over the original film, and big-name additions, especially from the sports world, that elevate the star-studded appeal of the sequel.
“I think the biggest highlight for me… there’s so many, but obviously being a part of such a loved comedic franchise, I think is exhilarating because every day, the stakes are high. What you’re trying to capture, it’s important, it feels important,” Kyle told this writer.
“I’m very excited for them (fans) to see Happy’s comeback. Obviously, it’s a long and winding road, but it’s entertaining the entire time.
“I’m very excited for them to meet Chubbs’ son. I think that’s really cool,” he added, referring to Happy’s “one-handed” mentor in the first film played by the late Carl Weathers. In the sequel, comedian Lavell Crawford plays the son who continues with his father’s legacy.
Kyle continued, “And I’m very excited for everybody to meet (Happy’s) family. You know we haven’t seen him with a family. He was starting it at the end of the last one, but we don’t know what kind of father he’s become and I’m excited for people to see his growth. It’s cool. It’s really cool!”
The sequel finds Happy Gilmore dealing with major challenges not just on the golf course but within himself, as he runs his household on his own, following the (spoiler alert) the accidental death of his wife Virginia (played anew by Julie Bowen). After a 10-year hiatus, he picks up the golf club again — and just like in the first film, where the former hockey player ventured into golf to save his grandmother’s home, this time he’s raising money to support his only daughter’s big ballet dreams. At the same time, he’s facing personal struggles and joins an AA group led by Hal L., played by Ben Stiller, who reprises his role as Happy’s longtime antagonist.
Long-time rival Shooter McGavin, portrayed anew by Chris McDonald, also returns after spending 29 years in an asylum. But from being one of sports comedy’s most iconic rivalries, he and Happy form an unlikely alliance to save the game of golf amid the emergence of a hybrid and entertainment-driven golf league called Maxi Golf, created by the eccentric Frank Manatee (Benny Safdie).
Maxi Golf’s ultimate goal is to disrupt traditional golf tours by bringing into the competition game-show like obstacles and stunts, hyped-up sports commentators, and surgically-enhanced players who are built for viral fame.
Matching the spectacle of Maxi Golf is the presence of a star-studded cast on set.
Kyle shared with this paper more of his experience with directing the big-name appearances and cameos in the film.
“Working with all of the cameos, like everybody, was unbelievable. I felt like every day, somebody new was coming in and we would work with them,” he said.
“And it’s so nice to make them feel comfortable because you have to be comfortable in order to be funny. And so it was just really a lot of energy bouncing around and I thought it was fun to always have something new coming around the corner.”
One of the new additions was global music star Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — a.k.a. Bad Bunny — who steps into a key role as Happy’s caddy.
“Benito… Bad Bunny. I mean, I was just blown away by his ability to bring the character to life. He brought something to that role that I didn’t see on the page and I really, you know, commend his craft in his work.”
“Happy Gilmore 2” also features a memorable turn from legendary golfer John Daly, who plays as himself living in Happy’s garage.
“John Daly living in the garage really has a soft spot in my heart. I just think that man is so lovable and has such an authentic voice and is just authentic in his craft,” Kyle said.
“He’s obviously a game changer himself and so… I really grew fond of Mr. Daly. I really liked his attitude. I liked his vibe. I thought he was very funny and naturally, ”
Adding more authenticity to the film is a lineup of real-life golf superstars, including Jack Nicklaus, Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, Will Zalatoris, Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler, Keegan Bradley, and LPGA legends Nelly Korda, Nancy Lopez and Paige Spiranac.
Athletes from outside the golf world also make appearances, such as NFL stars Travis Kelce and Reggie Bush, WWE icons Becky Lynch and Nikki Garcia, NBA’s Boban Marjanovi?, and popular sports broadcasters Stephen Smith, Dan Patrick and Verne Lundquist.
No Adam Sandler film would be complete without a few of his regulars. They include Ben Stiller, Kevin Nealon, John Farley, Rob Schneider, and Adam’s real-life family — wife Jackie Sandler, and daughters Sadie and Sunny. Also back behind the scenes is Adam’s long-time writer and collaborator Tim Herlihy.
The film also welcomes a range of actors and entertainers whose appearances span comedy, drama, music, pop culture and even the culinary scene. Among them was “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings, Food Network’s Guy Fieri, Oscar-nominated Haley Joel Osment, wrestler and AEW star Maxwell Jacob Friedman, rapper-actors like Cam’ron, Scott Mescudi (Kid Cudi), Austin Post (Post Malone) and Eminem.
Cliche as it may sound, but working on “Happy Gilmore 2” was a dream come true for Kyle.
“I instantly wanted to be a part of it. Because I care so much about the first one and it just seemed like a perfect challenge for me right now. It seemed like something I wanted to tackle because as a director, it’s a big movie. You get all the bells and whistles and the time and all that, and working with them is always a great time.”
Recounting his early connection to the original film, Kyle further revealed, “That movie is in my comedic DNA. I was 12 years old when I watched that movie and it was well before I knew what I wanted to do with my life.
“It’s funny. I’ll be on set — like when I made ‘Murder Mystery’ with Adam Sandler — and just out of (nowhere) not because he’s there, I’ll start quoting his movies, ‘Happy Gilmore,’ or his early recordings, and I’ll just say it. And then I look over like, oh right, that’s you, right? He’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s me.’ So I approached (Happy Gilmore 2) with a lot of love and a lot of respect.”
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