Happy Gilmore 2 arrived on Netflix like a shot of nostalgia straight to the funny bone. For a movie that first swung onto screens more than 20 years ago, the return of Adam Sandler’s foul-mouthed hockey player-turned-golf hero is something few fans expected, but many hoped for. Sandler’s comedies rarely get sequels, with Grown Ups and Hotel Transylvania being rare exceptions, so it was a pleasant surprise when it was announced last year that Happy would once again be gracing viewers with his legendary swing.
While fans celebrate seeing Happy pick up a golf club again to help his family, it raises the question: What other Sandler movie deserves a sequel on Netflix? A lot of his films are one-offs that wrap up neatly, like Uncut Gems and Hustle. But one movie stands out as an obvious choice for a follow-up: Big Daddy. A sequel to the 1999 hit could bring back Sonny (Sandler) and Julian (Dylan and Cole Sprouse), diving into adulthood and the challenges of fatherhood. And, if Happy Gilmore 2’s success is anything to go by, already topping global charts since its release last week, there’s plenty of reason to believe Big Daddy 2 could find its own sweet spot between nostalgia and fresh comedy.
Big Daddy 2 Could Explore Julian Facing the Realities of Fatherhood
Cast of Big Daddy
Actor
Role
Adam Sandler
Sonny Koufax
Cole and Dylan Sprouse
Julian
Leslie Mann
Corinne Maloney
Rob Schneider
Nazo
Joey Lauren Adams
Layla Maloney
For those yet to watch one of Sandler’s most comical films to date, Big Daddy follows Sonny Koufax, a 32-year-old law school graduate who refuses to grow up and take the bar exam, getting by with a part-time toll booth job and a small accident settlement. Everything changes when Julian, a young boy, suddenly shows up at his door with a note explaining that Julian’s mom can’t care for him anymore, and that his dad is Sonny’s roommate and friend, who’s recently gotten engaged. Determined to win back his ex-girlfriend, who left him for being immature and aimless, Sonny agrees to take Julian in. Predictably, chaos and comedy follow as Sonny clumsily stumbles through parenting with his own offbeat style. As they grow closer and Sonny starts to mature, trouble brews when the authorities uncover Sonny’s lie about being Julian’s father. Now, Sonny must fight to keep custody and prove that family is about love, not just biology.
The idea of revisiting this story two decades later carries a lot of promise, especially when imagining Julian all grown up and confronting the same wild uncertainties Sonny once faced. Big Daddy 2 has the perfect setup to dive into the awkward transition from childhood to adulthood, only this time, Julian’s the one juggling the responsibilities Sonny once ran from. Will Julian be the reluctant father who’s terrified of repeating the parenting he witnessed? Or will he be a man caught off guard by the sudden arrival of a child he never knew existed? These questions set the stage for a modern sequel that mixes nostalgia with fresh material.
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One plausible storyline that mirrors the original film could see Julian discovering he has a son from a one-night stand, much like how Sonny found himself thrust into fatherhood unexpectedly. The child drops into his life with the mother demanding that Julian step up and take responsibility. This setup opens the door for Julian to wrestle with deep-seated fears about parenthood and whether he’s capable of being a good father. The sequel could portray Julian in either a state of aimlessness like Sonny, working a low-paying job and searching for direction, or as a driven workaholic struggling to balance career ambitions with unexpected fatherhood. Either way, Big Daddy 2 would also have the chance to weave in romantic subplots, just like the first movie, with Julian exploring new relationships or seeking someone who embraces both him and his child.
Of course, no Big Daddy sequel would be complete without Sonny making a return, this time as the self-appointed parenting expert, offering hilariously outdated advice based on his own unconventional journey. Their dynamic would provide plenty of comedic fodder, with Julian inevitably repeating some of Sonny’s mistakes. But beneath the laughs lies a touching exploration of their evolving relationship, from father figure to friend and mentor. Big Daddy 2 could successfully capture the spirit of the original while reflecting the realities of parenting in the modern world. From juggling FaceTime calls to dealing with social media distractions, the sequel has the perfect setup to explore how the next generation of fathers faces the timeless challenges of raising a child.
Big Daddy Received More Hate Than It Deserved
Image via Columbia Pictures
Big Daddy Box Office Results
Budget
$34,200,000
Domestic Gross
$163,479,795
International Gross
$71,322,100
Worldwide Gross
$234,801,895
By the film’s release in 1999, Sandler had already begun making a name for himself with Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, and The Waterboy, and was arguably one of the biggest comedy actors of the 90s. So it’s unsurprising that, with his name stamped on the poster, Big Daddy became a huge box office success, raking in nearly $235 million worldwide on a modest budget, making it one of the biggest hits of his career. Yet, despite its box office success, paired with a 74% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, critics weren’t all too keen on Sandler’s latest drop. David Ansen of Newsweek called it “amiable, schizoid and disposable,” while Roger Ebert famously quipped that “Big Daddy should be reported to the child welfare office.” Edward Guthmann of the San Francisco Chronicle slammed the film for trying to juggle crude humor with sappy sentimentality, calling it “fraudulent.” With a critic score of just 39% on Rotten Tomatoes, the reviews clearly didn’t match public opinion.
Big Daddy, as expected, includes several moments of traditional Sandler goofiness in all its glory. But beyond that, it’s also a heartfelt story on parenthood and familial bonding bound by love, not genetics. The film marked an important moment in Sandler’s career, not just as a comedian, but as a performer capable of depth. Up until that point, his biggest roles leaned into over-the-top antics, silly voices, and man-child energy. While that worked for hits like The Waterboy, it was clear there was a limit to how far it could take him. If Sandler had stuck to that lane forever, he risked becoming a caricature of himself. Of course, he was perfectly content returning to the absurd with Little Nicky and Jack and Jill, but without Big Daddy, audiences likely wouldn’t have been able to take him seriously in dramas like Punch-Drunk Love, Hustle, or Uncut Gems. While he still played a slacker with questionable decision-making, Sandler does give both Sonny and the film a sense of emotional maturity, lending him relatable problems that forced him to face responsibility and deal with the scars of his upbringing.
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Adam Sandler’s films tend to have a sense of genericity that can feel derivative of his previous work. That’s likely why a lot of fans don’t often have high expectations when going into a new film; they’ve seen one, they’ve seen them all. But Big Daddy, while at times leaning towards the expected absurdity, is a rather thoughtful story that deserves more recognition than it currently receives. It’s a classic feel-good movie with just enough suggestive humor to please fans of both sides of his work. That alone is enough reason to demand a sequel, and Big Daddy 2 has all the ingredients to ensure success: a beloved cast, a timeless setup, and a fresh batch of emotional and comedic material to explore. With Sandler’s ongoing collaboration with Netflix, the film could offer the kind of heartfelt laughs, character growth, and nostalgia that remind viewers that while growing up is tough, it’s never too late to figure it out.
- Release Date
-
June 25, 1999
- Runtime
-
93 Minutes
- Director
-
Dennis Dugan