Adam Sandler Revises Happy Gilmore 2 After Carl Weathers’ Passing
Adam Sandler recently revealed that he had to make significant rewrites to Happy Gilmore 2 following the unfortunate passing of Carl Weathers. Weathers, who portrayed the beloved character Derick "Chubbs" Peterson, was set to return for the sequel to Sandler’s iconic 1996 sports comedy. He passed away last year at the age of 76, leaving a noticeable void in the film.
In an interview with Collider, Sandler shared, “We had a painful change. Carl Weathers had a massive part.” He expressed his sorrow over Weathers’ death, noting, “I would talk to Carl, and we were excited, and then Carl passed away. We had to rewrite a lot of the stuff, and even the story itself. We made many heartfelt references to how great Chubbs was in the movie. That was the biggest change.”
Initially, Weathers’ character had a much more substantial role in the sequel’s script. According to Sandler, Chubbs was not only returning, but he also had a son who was angry at Happy for his father’s tragic fate. “In the first version we developed, he had a son who was mad at Happy for causing the death of daddy,” Sandler explained.
In the original Happy Gilmore, Weathers played Chubbs, a professional golfer who had to use a wooden hand after losing his real one to an alligator. Fans of the franchise can look forward to Happy Gilmore 2, directed by Kyle Newacheck, which premieres on Netflix on July 25. Alongside Sandler, original cast members Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, and Ben Stiller will return, while new faces such as Bad Bunny, Margaret Qualley, Benny Safdie, Travis Kelce, and Kym Whitley join the cast.
Following Weathers’ passing, Sandler took to social media to honor his late co-star, describing him as “a true great man. Great dad. Great actor. Great athlete.” He continued, “So much fun to be around always. Smart as hell. Loyal as hell. Funny as hell. Loved his sons more than anything. What a guy!!”
Fans eagerly anticipate the sequel while remembering the legacy of Carl Weathers and the joy he brought to his role.
