Happy Gilmore's Back! Sandler Confirms 'Hard Work' on Sequel

Adam Sandler is gearing up to tee off on a sequel to his iconic 1996 comedy, *Happy Gilmore*. The comedian revealed his excitement for the project at the premiere of his new Netflix special, *Adam Sandler: Love You*, on Tuesday.

"We worked hard trying to write something that we thought people would have a good time with, and I'm more than excited, probably the most excited I've been in many years to shoot something," Sandler told PEOPLE.

Rumours of a *Happy Gilmore

sequel first surfaced in March when Christopher McDonald, who played the villainous Shooter McGavin in the original film, hinted that Sandler had shown him "the first draft of *Happy Gilmore 2*". In April, Drew Barrymore, a long-time friend of Sandler's, further fuelled speculation, confirming that she had spoken with Sandler about the project.

Netflix officially confirmed the sequel was in the works in May. While details about the plot remain under wraps, Sandler shared during an appearance on *The Tonight Show

that Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs tight end, will be among a number of athletes making cameo appearances in the film.

Sandler acknowledged the long-standing fan demand for a sequel, admitting that he had initially been hesitant: "People have been asking me for a long time, 'Do *Happy Gilmore 2*,' and I was always like, 'Nah, I'll only let you down.' " He continued, "But then me and my buddy Tim Herlihy, we came up with this idea, we're really excited about it, we wrote our asses off, we're continuing to try to make it a movie that you guys will like and I think it's — we're excited. So many golfers are being nice and they're going to be a part of it and all."

The comedian revealed that filming is set to begin in New Jersey in the coming weeks, and that he's been brushing up on his signature Happy Gilmore golf swing: "You know, you have to hop, skip and hit, and I did it recently — it seems simple, so I tried it out. I fell, and I laid there for a while and then somebody brought me a lemonade and I just kind of laid down on the ground drinking a lemonade for a while," he joked to host Jimmy Fallon. "But I'll be ready; when it comes time to shoot, I'm a gamer, man."

Fans of the original *Happy Gilmore

are no doubt eagerly anticipating the return of the unconventional golfer and his trademark antics. With Sandler's confirmed commitment to the project, and a team of talented writers behind the scenes, it seems the sequel is sure to be a hit with audiences.