Netflix hasn’t exactly been known for its blockbuster straight-to-streaming films in the past, but it is flipping the script with Happy Gilmore 2.
Adam Sandler’s sequel to the 1996 original shattered an opening weekend record for Netflix, amassing 46.7 million views in its first three days, per Justin Kroll in Deadline. It was the biggest U.S. opening weekend for a Netflix film on record, shooting up to No. 1 on the streamer’s Top 10 chart. The original Happy Gilmore clocked in at No. 3, earning 11.4 million views. Not a shabby weekend for the Sandman.
Netflix defines “views” as total hours watched divided by the total runtime, meaning that it’s not 46.7 million people who simply clicked on the movie and watched a few minutes; this is the approximate number of viewers who completed the entire film.
Sam Neumann succinctly summed up the film for Awful Announcing over the weekend:
“This sequel, decades in the making, had every chance to swing and miss, to cheapen the legacy of the original, to lean too hard into nostalgia, to remind us why comedy sequels rarely work. But it didn’t. It showed up, gave us a few laughs, tipped its cap to the 1996 classic, and walked off the course without embarrassing itself.”
Judging by the metrics, it seems like Happy Gilmore 2 accomplished exactly that. There was no cringe, minimal eye rolls, a heartwarming plot, and quintessential Sandler humor. At the end of the day, that’s exactly what most fans would want out of a comedy sequel.
And clearly, plenty of folks thought the film was a good way to spend two hours last weekend. It at least proved why Netflix is eager to be in the Adam Sandler business.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.