Adam Sandler had to rewatch original Happy Gilmore to refresh his memory for new film

And speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com ahead of the release (on Friday 25th July), the star revealed he had a fun time thinking about what had gone on in all the characters's lives in the time between then and now – even if he admitted to needing a little refresher when it came to the previous film.

"We were writing the movie, me and [co-writer] Tim Herlihy, and then out of nowhere, we were like... I think we should watch the first one again!" he said, explaining that his recall of the original paled in comparison to some of the fans who approach him.

"Kids come up to me on the street over the years, and they mention something. I'd be like, 'What happened?' And so we watched the movie again. And then we go, 'Oh yeah!' and got excited talking about everything, talking about everybody.”

Christopher McDonald, who reprises his role as Happy's fierce golfing rival Shooter McGavin in the new film, needed no such re-introduction to the material. "I watched it once a week for about 52 years," he joked. "I'm a fan, and I do a lot of Cameos, I like dealing with the fans, so I kind of [became] Ambassador about this whole thing!"

He added that these interactions with fans – who tend to love to hate Shooter – have very much kept the character in the foreground of his mind all this time, and he reckons those fans are going to love what's being served up for them in the sequel. "They're going crazy for the new one," he said.

Sandler and McDonald are joined in the cast by a whole host of new and returning stars – including Julie Bowen, who was delighted to reprise her role as Virginia in what she called a "really smart" follow-up.

And it's not just actors who have prominent roles: the sequel also makes room for a whole host of big name golfers, including a couple of bona fide legends. This experience of spending time with such sporting royalty was clearly a highlight of the experience for Sandler.

“I think we all were baffled by hanging out with every one of the guys," he said, pointing to Jack Nicklaus as the best example.

"Even Lee Trevino would say, 'Man, I'm hanging out with Jack!'" he laughed. "I mean, it was cool being around and getting to talk to him. We all met Jack's wife. And just, what a guy.

"It was almost like being with Johnny Carson or something," he added. "Where you just go, my dad would watch him every weekend.... anybody my dad loved that much, I was just like, 'I'm getting to hang out with this dude'. Man, it was so cool."

McDonald was just as impressed by the company they kept for the film. “They’re the nicest people, unbelievable," he said. "And they all know each other and really they're comrades, but get them on the golf course and they want to kill you.

"So it's that kind of dichotomy that is very interesting about these golfer guys. And I love to be able to say just some of them are my friends now. So it's been a blessing, it really has."

Happy Gilmore 2 is streaming on Netflix from Friday 25th July 2025.

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