Director Kyle Newacheck has shared his initial reaction to the surprising plot development at the start of Happy Gilmore 2, which premiered on Netflix on July 25. Speaking to PEOPLE, Newacheck revealed he was unaware of the major storyline involving Julie Bowen’s character, Virginia Venit, until reading the completed screenplay.

Spoilers ahead for Happy Gilmore 2. Adam Sandler has a number of beloved movies on his long resume, including Happy Gilmore. The 1996 sports comedy (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription) is arguably one of Sandler's best rom-coms,

Nearly 30 years after the original, "Happy Gilmore 2" brings a who's who of stars from the PGA, NFL, NBA, WWE and more.

On February 16, 1996, Universal Pictures introduced Happy Gilmore to audiences. The Adam Sandler starrer went on to gross $41 million and became a cable TV perennial enroute to its belated Netflix sequel in 2025. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below:

Despite the negative reviews, the positive reviews seem to overwhelmingly outweigh those who are pointing to steep nostalgia bait. Movies that matter states: " #HappyGilmore2 is classic Sandler again!