It has been nearly thirty years since Adam Sandler first stepped onto a green in a Bruins jersey and proceeded to lose his absolute mind. For a while there, it felt like a sequel was just one of those things people talked about at parties but never actually happened. Then Netflix hit the greenlight button.
Now that Happy Gilmore 2 has finally landed, the conversation has shifted from "will they?" to "who on earth is in this?" Honestly, the casting for Happy Gilmore 2 is a wild mix of nostalgia bait and some genuinely surprising modern additions. It isn't just a rehash of the 1996 classic. It’s a massive, sprawling ensemble that feels like Sandler just opened his contact list and invited everyone to New Jersey for a few months.
The Legends Returning to the Tee
Look, you can't have a sequel without the man himself. Adam Sandler is back as Happy, though he’s older and—based on the plot—a bit of a mess. But the big question everyone had was about the antagonist. Could you really do this without Shooter McGavin? Thankfully, Christopher McDonald is back. Seeing him reprise that role is basically the only reason some fans are even watching. He still has that arrogant, punchable energy that made the first movie work.
Then there is Julie Bowen. She returns as Virginia Venit, though the movie throws a bit of a curveball there. If you’ve seen it, you know her role is... complicated. She’s technically Happy's wife, but there is a heavy emotional weight to her presence this time around.
- Ben Stiller is back as the menacing orderly Hal L. He’s still just as abusive and weirdly intense as he was at the nursing home, only now he’s running a rehab facility.
- Kevin Nealon pops up again as Gary Potter, the "soft hands" guy. He hasn't changed a bit, which is exactly what you want from a Sandler sequel.
- Dennis Dugan, who directed the original, stepped in front of the camera again as Doug Thompson, the tour commissioner.
It is a bit bittersweet, though. We lost Carl Weathers (Chubbs) and Richard Kiel (Mr. Larson) before this got made. The movie handles it by casting Lavell Crawford as Slim Peterson, Chubbs' son, and the 7'6" Boban Marjanović as Mr. Larson’s son. It’s a nice nod without trying to replace the irreplaceable.
Why the New Faces in the Happy Gilmore 2 Casting Work
This is where things get weird. The casting for Happy Gilmore 2 didn't just stop at the old guard. They went after some massive names from music and sports that you wouldn't necessarily expect to see in a golf comedy.
Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) plays Oscar Mejías, Happy’s new caddy. He’s a former busboy with dreams of owning a restaurant, and he basically provides the heart of the movie. It’s a weird pairing on paper—a global reggaeton superstar and a 50-something hockey-loving golfer—but it actually lands.
Then there’s the "villain" of the new era. Benny Safdie plays Frank Manatee. If you remember Safdie from Uncut Gems, you know he can do high-tension energy. Here, he’s the CEO of Maxi Energy Drink, trying to launch a rival golf league that looks suspiciously like a parody of LIV Golf.
The Cameo Avalanche
If you blink, you will miss someone. This movie is a "who's who" of 2026 pop culture and sports legends.
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- Travis Kelce shows up as Oscar's abusive boss. It’s a brief but loud performance.
- Eminem has a strange, blink-and-you-miss-it moment as the son of Donald (the guy who yelled "Jackass!" in the first movie).
- Margaret Qualley and Eric André play part of a trio of young golfers that Happy hangs out with.
- Post Malone is DJ Omar Gosh, which feels like the most Post Malone thing ever.
The golf world showed up too. We’re talking Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, and even the legend Jack Nicklaus. They even brought back Lee Trevino for the "Grizzly Adams did have a beard" energy.
Addressing the "Sandler Family" Criticism
It is no secret that Adam Sandler likes to hire his friends and family. Some people hate it; others think it’s charming. In Happy Gilmore 2, he leaned into it harder than ever. His daughter, Sunny Sandler, plays Vienna Gilmore, Happy’s daughter and the main motivation for him returning to the tour. She wants to go to a ballet school in Paris, and Happy needs the cash.
His other daughter, Sadie, and his wife, Jackie, both have roles as well. Even his mother and mother-in-law make appearances. It makes the movie feel like a home video with a 150-million-dollar budget. Whether that works for you or not depends on how much you enjoy the "Sandlerverse" vibes. Honestly, Sunny does a decent job carrying the emotional stakes, which keeps the movie from just being a series of loud jokes.
What This Means for the Movie's Success
The casting for Happy Gilmore 2 was clearly designed for the Netflix era. By pulling in Bad Bunny and Travis Kelce, they ensured that people who weren't even born when the first movie came out would tune in. By keeping McDonald and Stiller, they kept the 90s kids happy.
It is a calculated move. The movie doesn't try to be high art. It’s a nostalgia-heavy victory lap that knows exactly who its audience is. The sheer volume of cameos can feel a bit crowded at times, almost like the plot is secondary to the "hey, look who that is!" moments, but that has always been the Sandler brand.
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Moving Forward with the Franchise
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the world of this sequel, here is what you should actually do:
- Watch the original first. Seriously. Half the jokes in the sequel are direct callbacks. If you don't remember the "Subway" sponsorship or the nursing home scenes, the new casting choices won't land nearly as well.
- Pay attention to the credits. A lot of the best cameos are tucked away in the background of the "Maxi Golf" tournament scenes.
- Look for the tributes. The film spends a good amount of time honoring Carl Weathers. Seeing how they integrated his legacy into the new cast is one of the more grounded parts of the film.
The cast is a total circus, but somehow, it stays on the fairway. It’s loud, it’s crowded, and it’s exactly what you’d expect from a Happy Gilmore return.