In 1996, Adam Sandler changed the game — literally — with Happy Gilmore, a wild, foul-mouthed sports comedy about a failed hockey player who channels his rage into becoming an unlikely golf star. Armed with a slapshot swing and zero etiquette, Happy took on snobby country clubs, rival pros, and an alligator — and somehow made golf cool for a generation raised on slapstick and smack talk. The film became an instant cult classic, catapulting Sandler into leading man status and embedding lines like “The price is wrong, bitch” and “Just tap it in” into the comedy lexicon. Nearly 30 years later, Happy’s coming out of retirement. As part of Collider’s Exclusive Preview event, we spoke with director Kyle Newacheck about Happy Gilmore 2, which tees off on Netflix July 25, 2025.

With Sandler back in the lead — and co-writing alongside longtime collaborator Tim Herlihy — the sequel isn’t a nostalgia trip or a cheap gimmick.