Fan-favorite 1990s classic Happy Gilmore is getting a sequel from Netflix, and many of the stars are returning from the original. A growing trend in movies and TV is de-aging, and a lot of productions use special effects to make it happen. It’s a controversial practice, especially when it’s used to bring back deceased actors. Julie Bowen, who’s reprising her role as Virginia Venit from the original film, revealed in an interview with Collider there’s a sequence with that special effect in Happy Gilmore 2 where the cast is made to look younger.
“It is really weird. This is not a spoiler, but because there are flashbacks, they have to put me in the hair and the clothes from then, which are not my faves. It’s fun because they also get to de-age me, which I’ve never gotten done. I’m like, ‘Cool, I can’t wait to see what that is.’ There’s a lot of really fun stuff. And seeing Adam [Sandler] and Chris [McDonald], and even some of the crew was the same. Adams is such a loyal, lovely person to work with, and he loves to take the people along with him from the get-go. Perry [Andelin Blake], our production designer, has been with him since Happy Gilmore, and he looks exactly the same.”
With nearly 30 years between the original film and its sequel, it makes sense some of the actors have to be de-aged if there are events from the past that need to be told for the plot. Audiences will most likely not be looking at them for extended sequences like they were with the latest Indiana Jones movie, so it’s too early to sound the alarm.
New & Old Faces in Happy Gilmore 2
Legacy sequels like Happy Gilmore 2 tend to lean heavily into nostalgia, and while that’s going to be the case here, it doesn’t seem like that’s the only reason this film is happening. Happy Gilmore 2 has already confirmed new faces like Travis Kelce and Bad Bunny, but we don’t know what their roles will be in the film. Kelce is said to have just a cameo, so viewers shouldn’t expect to see him around a lot. Margaret Qualley also confirmed she’ll appear in the film.
Unfortunately, Carl Weathers passed away and won’t be appearing in the sequel. His character died in the original film, so it was already unlikely he would make an appearance in the first place. However, considering he was Happy Gilmore’s mentor in the film, there will almost certainly be some type of mention or tribute to the character.
As for who is coming back, Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald, and Bowen are the only cast members confirmed to return. No plot details are known at the time of this writing, and a specific release date has not been given for the film yet. Principal photography kicked off September 9, so there’s still a long way to go before the movie finally releases to the public. Fans have already waited decades, so a year or two is nothing at this point.