‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Shocks Fans With Sudden Character Death — and Viewers Are Split originally appeared on Parade.
WARNING: Major spoilers ahead…
Nearly three decades after Happy Gilmore first hit screens, Adam Sandler has returned to the green with Happy Gilmore 2.
But within the first few minutes of the sequel, now streaming on Netflix, fans were welcomed with a devastating swing.
The film reunites Happy (Sandler) and his longtime love Virginia Venit (Julie Bowen), showing the couple’s blissful life post–Tour Championship. Yep, they’re married, raising four sons and a daughter (played by Sandler’s real-life daughter, Sunny Sandler), and seemingly living happily ever after.
The tone shifts dramatically almost instantly when Happy accidentally strikes Virginia in the head with an errant golf ball, killing her instantly.
Despite the early exit, Virginia isn’t completely gone. She appears throughout the movie in Happy’s “happy place,” gently encouraging him to forgive himself.
The twist sets the stage for Happy’s retirement from golf, but needless to say, fans weren’t ready for the surprise.
“They really killed Virginia in the first 2 minutes?!?! COME ON…” one fan wrote online, as another chimed in, “Julie Bowen didn’t even make it to the 2 minute mark. What a rip-off.”
Another added, “How in the world did you have Happy Gilmore get rid of Virginia 2 minutes into the movie?!” with someone else stating, “They did Julie Bowen dirty in this.”
Many praised the actress, writing, “Julie Bowen is so fine in HG2” and that she “aged well.”
My friend: “Minutes in when they killed Julie Bowen I was like ‘this is going to be legit great’” https://t.co/1Vgj4BKEM8
— Genuine Class (@RichardJuice) July 25, 2025
While some viewers were shaken by the emotional start, others praised the movie for its balance of humor and heart.
“I am so very pleased to report that #HappyGilmore2 doesn’t suck and is genuinely funny with a lot of heart,” one fan wrote. “It’s not on par with the original but only being a few strokes behind after three decades away is honestly a gigantic win for modern feature length comedies.”
“#HappyGilmore2 is classic Sandler again! These comedy’s seemed extinct in Hollywood but Sandler & his team are single handedly keeping them alive,” another added.
They continued: “I had a great time with a sequel that I never expected to recapture the glory of the original & it didn’t but that’s ok! It’s fun, it put me in a good mood & the cameos are so funny. Ben Stiller, Eminem shine in small roles but boy are they hilarious. Lots of more cameos too but Adam Sandler still proving he’s a comedy genius. LOVED IT.”
One fan admitted: “I had it completely in my mind that Happy Gilmore 2 would be the greatest disappointment in my lifetime, and ruin it forever for me. Pleasantly surprised. Think they’ve done a pretty good job considering.”
“Hats off to everyone involved—phenomenal work!” another shared.
The film also pays tribute to several original cast members who have since passed.
Carl Weathers, who played Happy’s mentor Chubbs, was meant to have a full storyline before his death in 2024. Chubbs appears symbolically through flashbacks, golf tips in a book, and Happy’s own reflections.
“The saddest thing is Carl Weathers was in the draft,” Sandler told E! News. “We wrote an entire story for Carl and Carl’s son, and then Carl passed away. So, we show the love to Carl in the movie.”
The movie also nods to the late Bob Barker — recreating their infamous brawl through a video game character — and pays homage to Richard “Gentle Giant” Kiel by introducing his character’s son in the stands.
As Sandler told the outlet, “Everybody from the first one we try to give love to.”
Cameos from Travis Kelce, Bad Bunny, Post Malone, and golf pros like Rory McIlroy and John Daly round out the cast.
‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Shocks Fans With Sudden Character Death — and Viewers Are Split first appeared on Parade on Jul 25, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
