“Fans Are Far from Happy with ‘Happy Gilmore 2.’
Spoiler Alert: The Adam Sandler sequel, now streaming on Netflix, has sparked outrage after a beloved character from the 1996 sports comedy classic is shockingly written off in the film’s opening minutes.”
“Julie Bowen and Adam Sandler walk the red carpet at the Netflix premiere of ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ at Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York City, on Monday, July 21, 2025.”
Although Happy and Virginia marry and have five children during the nearly 30-year gap between films, Bowen’s character meets a tragic end when Happy accidentally strikes her in the head with a shanked golf shot during a tournament.
Virginia’s passing is revealed only through a brief montage at the start of the new film, which then shifts to a retired and grief-stricken Happy as he struggles to move forward after losing his wife.
“Julie Bowen as Virginia Venit alongside Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore in ‘Happy Gilmore.’”
Following the Netflix premiere of the sequel on Friday, July 25, fans quickly flooded social media with outrage over the shocking decision to kill off Julie Bowen’s Virginia.
“No way they killed HER in the first ten minutes of Happy Gilmore,” one furious fan tweeted after watching the film.
Another viewer didn’t hold back, writing, “Happy Gilmore 2 is a huge piece of s–t. Instantly killing off the best character is insane.”
A third fan echoed the sentiment: “Bro, three minutes into Happy Gilmore 2 and Virginia died. Wtf kind of BS writing is that?”
“Adam Sandler and Julie Bowen at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘Happy Gilmore,’ February 7, 1996.”
“Seriously? They started off Happy Gilmore 2 by killing Virginia?” another furious fan wrote on X.
Along with outrage over Virginia’s death, some viewers also slammed the barrage of surprise celebrity cameos in the sequel.
In addition to Sandler’s wife Jackie and daughters Sadie and Sunny, Happy Gilmore 2 features appearances by Eminem, Post Malone, Travis Kelce, Kid Cudi, and more.
Several real-life pro golfers, including John Daly, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, and Rory McIlroy, also make appearances in the film.
One frustrated fan vented, “Sorry to spoil Happy Gilmore 2, but they killed poor Virginia and brought along a whack load of dumbasses to make it an inane mess. This thing never happened, okay?”
Meanwhile, Sandler and Bowen addressed Bowen’s shocking Happy Gilmore 2 death during an interview with Entertainment Weekly published shortly after the movie’s release.
Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, and Adam Sandler in ‘Happy Gilmore.’The “Modern Family” star explained that her character’s death was necessary to propel Happy and the story forward.
“Happy’s the best, but he did need to have something — some adversity,” Bowen, 55, said.
“Yes, Happy is in pain,” she added. “And he had to get there somehow. I contribute to that pain through the heart. I think it’s very relatable and beautiful. I loved it.”
Bowen previously shared that she expected Sandler to recast her role with a younger actress.
“I didn’t think they’d bring me back at all,” she revealed earlier this month on Michael Rosenbaum’s Inside of You podcast.
“I mean, who am I supposed to be?” Bowen added. “He’s got to have a younger woman in this one.”
As for Sandler, who co-wrote the film with Tim Herlihy, he was simply thrilled to return to the world of Happy Gilmore after 29 years.
“You couldn’t have a nicer vibe,” Sandler, 58, said. “It was just the whole thing. There wasn’t a particular day you wanted to end.”
“You were with somebody you loved and someone you just met that you idolized,” he added, referring to the film’s many celebrity cameos. “It was a kind of legendary shoot.”
Alongside Sandler and Bowen, Happy Gilmore 2 also features Christopher McDonald (Shooter McGavin) and Ben Stiller (Hal) reprising their original roles.
Tragically, Carl Weathers, who was slated to return as Derick “Chubbs” Peterson, passed away in February 2024. His death led Sandler to rewrite the sequel’s script.
