Instead of giving it a big theatrical release, Adam Sandler decided to debut the long-awaited Happy Gilmore 2 on Netflix. This isn’t necessarily surprising, as the comedian has collaborated with the streaming service on most of his movies since 2014. In the last decade-plus, Sandler’s Netflix movies, such as The Ridculous 6, Murder Mystery, and Hubie Halloween, have been huge successes.

For many years, it’s been clear that Sandler is the king of Netflix, and this is more apparent after the release of Happy Gilmore 2. The recent comedy is the sequel to his beloved 1996 movie, in which he played hockey player-turned-golfer Happy Gilmore. Since it debuted on Netflix on July 25, reviews for Happy Gilmore 2 have been somewhat mixed, but that is normal for Sandler’s comedies.

Despite some negative reviews, it’s hard to deny that there are plenty of hilarious moments in Happy Gilmore 2. Overall, fans of Sandler are thrilled that they are able to see what happened to one of his most iconic characters. It has been a huge success for Netflix, but would Happy Gilmore 2 have been able to break records in theaters too?

Happy Gilmore 2’s Viewership Wouldn’t Directly Translate To Theatrical Success

Just days after its release, Happy Gilmore 2 set multiple streaming records for Netflix. It received 46.7 million views in its first three days, which is the highest opening weekend for any of Sandler’s Netflix films. Furthermore, this incredibly high viewership means Happy Gilmore 2 had the largest opening weekend ever for any Netflix movie in the United States.

These records are very impressive, but they don’t necessarily mean people would have rushed to theaters to see Happy Gilmore 2 during its opening weekend. After all, it’s much easier to click play on Netflix than drive to a theater. This is precisely why Sandler made the decision to pivot to streaming services in 2014, as it has become increasingly difficult to convince people to see movies in theaters.

Still, Happy Gilmore 2 had potential as a box office hit since it is based on a beloved comedy. For years, fans of Sandler have been asking him to make a sequel to the golfing movie. Happy Gilmore 2 was arguably his most anticipated movie of the last ten years, so a lot of people would have watched it on the big screen.

The aforementioned records prove, beyond a doubt, that there was a lot of interest in the movie. In addition to Sandler, people would likely have watched the movie in theaters to see all of Happy Gilmore 2‘s cameos, which include Eminem, Travis Kelce, and several professional golfers. Sandler’s most recent film would have been a blast to watch with an audience.

However, if Happy Gilmore 2 was put out in theaters and kept its same release date, it could have struggled. It was released the same week as The Fantastic Four: First Steps, a major summer blockbuster. It also would have had to compete against movies like Superman and Jurᴀssic World Rebirth. These other films could have impacted Happy Gilmore 2‘s earnings, putting it at a disadvantage.

Could Happy Gilmore 2 Have Become Adam Sandler’s Highest-Grossing Movie At The Box Office?

Even though it would have faced a lot of compeтιтion at the box office, these records prove that Happy Gilmore 2 easily would have surpᴀssed the original movie’s total haul. After its release in 1996, the first Happy Gilmore movie grossed $41 million globally (via Box Office Mojo). This is a respectable haul, especially for the time, but can’t compare to Sandler’s most successful movies.

Sandler’s highest-grossing movie ever is 2018’s H๏τel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, which brought in a total of $528 million at the worldwide box office (via Box Office Mojo). The H๏τel Transylvania series has been a huge hit for Sandler, and are actually the three highest-grossing movies of his career. It is extremely unlikely that Happy Gilmore 2 would have pᴀssed them at the box office.

However, as seen in the above table, when it comes to Sandler’s live-action movies, his highest-grossing film is 2010’s Grown Ups. It is generally regarded as one of Sandler’s best comedies, but so is the original Happy Gilmore. There’s a chance that Happy Gilmore 2 would have generated enough hype to surpᴀss Grown Ups at the box office.

Since Happy Gilmore 2 was released on Netflix, we will never know how it truly would have fared at the box office. With viewers’ changing moviegoing habits, there’s an argument to be made that Sandler doesn’t have the same box office pull. However, it potentially could have made between $200-300 million, which is the range many of Sandler’s best comedies have fallen into.

Based on the impressive viewership records, Happy Gilmore 2 definitely would have been a box office success, even if it didn’t break any records. However, Sandler seems to be enjoying his partnership with Netflix, so it seems likely that most of his future movies will also be released on the streaming service.