“Had to rewrite a lot”: Adam Sandler on Carl Weathers’ absence in Happy Gilmore 2

There are a lot of new faces in Happy Gilmore 2, most of them real professionals and not actors. It will be an interesting take on the story after the hockey player-turned-golf pro Happy Gilmore returns in the sequel, releasing in about a week. However, there is one face we’re going to miss a lot: Happy’s mentor and wooden-handed friend Chubbs Peterson, played by the late Carl Weathers.

Adam Sandler, who plays the titular Gilmore in the movies, was in conversation with Collider recently. He told them that the actor had a massive part in the movie. He said:

"We had a painful change. Carl Weathers had a massive part. I would talk to Carl, and we were excited, and then Carl passed away. We had to rewrite a lot of the stuff, and even what the story was. We made a lot of nice references to how great Chubbs was in the movie. That was the biggest change."

Carl Weathers took his last breath on February 2, 2024, after reportedly being diagnosed with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

It was Chubbs who saw the talent in Happy

Chubbs Peterson first tells Happy Gilmore about the game's potential to make money. (Image via Universal Pictures)

Chubbs and Happy have one funny interaction in the movie before they finally go on to train and become friends. He sees that Happy’s slapshot-style swing can send a golf ball flying for about 400 yards, which convinces the pro golfer that Happy can play.

However, Happy doesn’t want to play golf and wants to remain a hockey player—until Chubbs mentions how he can make “big bucks,” which is something Gilmore seriously needs to pay off his grandma’s debt.

This is also where Happy accidentally shoots Chubbs’ prosthetic hand off. But Chubbs is cool with it, as his wooden hand is “real sturdy”—until a truck passes over it and crushes it. This is one of the finest comic scenes in the film.

Happy also takes revenge for Chubbs

Happy successfully takes his golf ball back from the mouth of the alligator. (Image via Universal Pictures)

In another sequence, when Happy is playing golf, he accidentally hits the ball into the mouth of an alligator. But this is not just an alligator—this is the alligator, the same one who bit off Chubbs’ hand.

How does Happy identify this creature? Because Chubbs had gouged one of its eyes out during their encounter. The next thing we know, Happy jumps on the alligator as it tries to run away.

See ya later, alligator!

Who will replace Chubbs Peterson in Happy Gilmore 2?

Lavell Crawford will play Chubbs' son. (Image via Netflix)

Chubbs Peterson isn’t exactly being replaced in Happy Gilmore 2, as his son will appear in his place. Lavell Crawford of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul is portraying the character, who also has a prosthetic wooden hand like his father.

Though it’s unlikely that we’ll see Chubbs Peterson posthumously in Happy Gilmore 2, since development began a month after Carl Weathers died, there’s still a chance. We might see archival footage used in the film.