Adam Sandler Says HAPPY GILMORE 2 Faced a “Painful Change” After Carl Weathers’ Death
Happy Gilmore 2 is just days away from its Netflix debut on July 25, and fans have been buzzing about Adam Sandler’s long-awaited return to the golf course. The sequel promises plenty of celebrity cameos and the return of some fan-favorite characters, but one beloved figure will be missing: Chubbs Peterson.
Carl Weathers, who brought Chubbs to life in the original film, passed away in 2024. His absence isn’t just felt by fans—it had a major impact on the movie itself. Speaking with Collider, Sandler revealed just how much the loss changed the story.
“We had a painful change. Carl Weathers had a massive part. 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 what the story was. We made a lot of nice references to how great Chubbs was in the movie. That was the biggest change.”
According to Sandler, the original script heavily featured Chubbs, making the sequel fans will see a completely different film than what was first planned. While Chubbs won’t appear physically, his legacy will play a big part in the story.
Sandler even shared an early concept for the movie that kept Weathers involved in a unique way:
“In the first version that we came up with, he had a son. He was coming back to me a lot in my dreams, and he had a son who was mad at Happy for causing the death of daddy.”
It’s unclear if this idea was still on the table when Weathers passed away or if it had already been scrapped, but it shows how much the actor meant to the sequel. With Weathers gone, the team had to rethink the entire narrative, honoring Chubbs while moving the story forward.
The final version still nods to the character. The Happy Gilmore 2 trailer reveals Lavell Crawford as Chubbs’ son complete with a prosthetic hand like his father’s. There’s also a glimpse of Shooter McGavin in what appears to be a cemetery, suggesting an moment that acknowledges Chubbs’ passing.
Happy Gilmore 2 might not be the film Adam Sandler originally envisioned, but it’s clear Chubbs Peterson remains at the heart of the story. Fans can see how it all comes together when the sequel hits Netflix on July 25.