Adam Sandler Says ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Starts Filming in ‘A Couple Weeks,’ Teases Travis Kelce Cameo and a ‘Juicy Part’ for Benny Safdie: ‘We’re Really Excited’
Adam Sandler confirmed on “The Tonight Show” that cameras are set to start rolling on “Happy Gilmore 2” in just a couple of weeks. The long-awaited sequel to the 1996 comedy classic will be shooting in New Jersey with a cast that will include real professional golfers and cameos like Travis Kelce, Sandler confirmed during the interview.
“We’re going to do ‘Happy Gilmore,’ thank you. This is happening,” Sandler said. “We’re getting ready to shoot it in New Jersey. We start in a couple weeks. It’s good. We worked hard on the script. We didn’t want to let anybody down. People have been asking me for a long time. We’re really excited about it. We wrote our asses off. So many of the golfers are being nice and will be a part of it.”
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Kelce, who is breaking into the acting business with upcoming roles in Ryan Murphy’s FX series “Grotesquerie” and the Lionsgate action-comedy film “Loose Cannons,” said on his podcast in May that he would do anything to appear in the “Happy Gilmore” sequel, which Netflix officially announced that same month.
“Travis has… he mentioned it, so we have a nice something for Travis,” Sandler said about Kelce’s appearance in the sequel. “He’s gonna come by. He’s a very nice guy. You guys would love him in real life. What a big, handsome guy. Funny and cool as hell. He’s a stud and he’s so funny.”
Kelce said originally that he is a “huge fan of the Sandman” and would do “anything” to get a role in the film. As soon as “Happy Gilmore 2” was announced, fans started pitching the NFL star for a role in the movie.
“I’ll be a fucking extra… anything to get around ‘Happy Gilmore,’ an Adam Sandler film or set — count me in,” Kelce said. “I’ll do anything in the movie. I’ll be part of it any way I possibly can.”
In a separate interview with IndieWire, Sandler also confirmed that his “Uncut Gems” director Benny Safdie would have a role in “Happy Gilmore 2.” Not just any role, but “he’s going to have a juicy part in that.” Safdie has acted in his own movies such as “Good Time” as well as other projects like “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” “Oppenheimer” and “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.”
“Happy Gilmore” made nearly $40 million at the worldwide box office in 1996, helping cement Sandler as one of the biggest comedy stars of the decade. He played the title character, a hockey player with anger management issues who discovers he’s also got a talent for golf. Happy joins the golf tour circuit to win money to save his grandmother’s house and faces off against an arrogant pro named Shooter McGavin, played by Christopher McDonald. The supporting cast also included Julie Bowen and the late Carl Weathers.
Watch Sandler’s full interview on “The Tonight Show” in the video below.
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