Happy Gilmore 2 premiered on Netflix in July 2025, nearly three decades after the original movie came out. The sequel brings back Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore, the angry golfer with a hockey background. This time, Happy encounters new challenges as an older man dealing with personal struggles.
Happy Gilmore 2 quickly became the number one movie on Netflix's streaming platform. The viewers waited for almost 30 years for this follow-up story. The movie maintains the same comedy style as the original.
Adam Sandler returns to his iconic role with the same energy. The sequel includes many callbacks to the former movie. The new story demonstrates Happy as a transformed man. He struggles with different challenges than before. The film also brings back many former cast members.
Happy Gilmore 2 blends new and old elements perfectly, and contains various hidden references that longtime fans will recognize.
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7 references and easter eggs you probably missed in
Happy Gilmore 2
1) The bull dance returns in full glory

The opening sequence of Happy Gilmore 2 features Happy's famous celebration dance. A fan in the crowd performs the bull dance during the U.S. Open tournament. This callback happens within the first minute of the film.
Happy himself also dances again later in the movie. The bull dance was one of the most memorable sequences from the original. The viewers have quoted and copied this celebration for years. The sequel utilizes it as an immediate connection to the past. This reference sets the tone for the entire film. It shows that Happy Gilmore 2 remembers its roots.
2) Video game scenes recreate original movie moments
Early in Happy Gilmore 2, Happy reveals he created a video game. The game recreates several sequences from the first film. Players can watch Happy strangle his caddle in the game.
The video game also demonstrates the famous Bob Barker fight sequence. Happy mentions that computer programmers made the game too real in appearance. This creates a funny meta-reference to the former film. The video game serves as a clever technique to display flashbacks. It connects the old movie to the new narrative. Happy Gilmore 2 utilizes urban technology to honor the past.
3) Grandma's house stays in the family

The sequel to the film reveals that Happy still resides in his grandmother's home. In the former movie, saving this house was the central goal. Even though his grandmother had passed away, Happy continued to stay there. However, he now shares the space with his five kids.
In the film, History repeats itself when Happy loses the house all over again. Like in the first film, he must fight to regain the house. This parallel creates a familiar story structure. The house represents stability and family in both movies. Happy Gilmore 2 utilizes this location to connect the past and present.
4) Chubbs provides guidance from beyond

Carl Weathers' character Chubbs dies in the former Happy Gilmore. However, he still appears in Happy Gilmore 2 as a spiritual guide. Happy talks to Chubbs in heaven throughout the film. He also secretly sneaks into Chubbs' stuff and gets access to a golf instruction book.
The book titled The Science of Golf appears during an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Happy hides the book while attending therapy sessions. This reference demonstrates that Chubb's teaching continues after death. The mentor relationship remains crucial in the movie.
Happy goes on to employ everything he learned from Chubbs in his journey, and that pays off in ways Happy could not comprehend. Additionally, the spiritual guidance replaces physical presence in the sequel. Chubbs keeps showing up to help Happy and guide him.
5) The Former caddie becomes a professional golfer

Happy Gilmore 2 brings back the caddie that Happy strangled in the original film. This time, the character appears as a professional golfer. Real-life pro Will Zalatoris embodies this role in the sequel. The transformation from a caddie to a player creates an engaging twist.
Moreover, Happy cheers during one scene as Zalatorie struggles with his caddle. Ben Stiller's son Quilin portrays the new caddie character. This creates a full circle moment in the former film. The role reversal adds humor to Happy Gilmore 2 as former victims become the ones in power.
6) Rob Schneider's signature catchphrase returns

Rob Schneider makes a cameo appearance in Happy Gilmore 2. He delivers his famous line, "You can do it!" during Happy's mental happy place sequence. This catchphrase has appeared in five different Adam Sandler films. The line first appeared in The Waterboy in 1998.
Schneider also said this phrase in 50 First Dates, Little Nicky, Bedtime Stories, and The Longest Yard. The cameo maintains a long-running joke between the actors. Happy Gilmore 2 utilizes this reference to connect to Sandler's other movies. The phrase has become a trademark of their collaboration.
7) Original props make their return

Several original props from the first movie appear in the sequel. Happy's golf clubs return from storage at Universal Studios. His Subway-sponsored golf bag also makes a comeback. The director discovered these items in the studio's prop room.
The production team tried to get Happy's original car but settled for a similar model. They damaged the replacement car to match the former's appearance. Happy also wears a Boston Bruins hockey jersey again. These physical objects create a concrete connection between the movies. The new movie utilizes raw props to maintain continuity.
Happy Gilmore 2 successfully bridges nearly three decades with witty references and old elements. The movie honors its predecessor while creating new moments. These hidden details reward longtime fans with nostalgic moments. The sequel proves that some comedies never lose their charm.