Christopher McDonald Praises Adam Sandler Amid 'Happy Gilmore 2' Comeback

If any actor checks in at No. 2 behind Adam Sandler for the tremendous success the original Happy Gilmore movie had, it’s Christopher McDonald, aka Shooter McGavin.

You'd be hard-pressed to find any fan of the movie who didn't either love or love to hate McDonald in the original 1996 film. McGavin was Gilmore's rival in the movie, and the two played off each other incredibly from start to finish.

Now, McDonald will return for another round, joining Happy Gilmore 2, and it's safe to assume that every fan of the original hopes to see the iconic "Shooter McGavin" celebration.

pic.twitter.com/RIxarRo88d

— RingerNBA (@ringernba) April 12, 2019

McDonald recently spoke with People about his return for the sequel, and had some specific praise for Sandler. While the longtime actor said he couldn't reveal any plot details, stating he "signed an NDA," he admitted he was "over the moon" about being asked to join Happy Gilmore 2.

The 70-year-old actor has never shied away from joking with fans and playing up his "Shooter McGavin" role in real life. McDonald even got a gold jacket at the PGA's Waste Management event in February and celebrated with fans by pulling out his iconic celebration.

Shooter McGavin got his gold jacket at Waste Management 😂 pic.twitter.com/p4aFkgkKeh

— DraftKings (@DraftKings) February 8, 2025

This goes perfectly with McDonald telling People that he's "been an ambassador for this movie for so long, 29 years later." While he held off on giving away spoilers, McDonald did tip his cap to Sandler and Netflix, stating that "they've outdone themselves" with the movie.

“[Happy Gilmore 2 is] about family and friends and love and basically a lot of heart, which I love about Adam Sandler's movies,” McDonald said. 

“What I love about Adam Sandler is his heart. He's got so much love for people... And he's done some amazing work in the last few years. So I'm very happy for him.”

It's hard to find anything much better than McDonald returning to reprise his role as McGavin, but hearing the actor's high praise for Sandler almost 30 years after their beloved on-screen rivalry is special.

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