Maybe you’ve seen Adam Sandler’s “Happy Gilmore 2.”
For a couple of weeks it was the most watched film all over the world on Netflix. It spent four weeks in the Netflix top 10. It wasn’t great, but it was fan service for Sandler freaks who loved the original movie. There’s no harm in that.
Now, thanks a report from the State of New Jersey, we learn that “Happy Gilmore 2” — a comedy about golf with no special effects — cost at least $152 million. That’s the most any movie has ever spent in New Jersey.
“Happy Gilmore 2” got tax breaks, but also we don’t what they spent beyond shooting in New Jersey. Wow, that’s a lot of money. And it’s pretty high considering Sandler’s daughter and wife appeared in the film. (Daughter Sunny just wrapped a new movie for Netflix with Steve Buscemi and Max Greenfield in which the 16 year old is the central character. It’s her 21st screen credit.)
Here’s a report detailing where $152 million got spent. filmed in 31 municipalities and 9 counties across the state. They did not shoot in space or stage a “Gladiator” like fight.
“The exterior of the Gilmore home was filmed at a private home in Irvington and the interior was filmed at a private home in Belleville. New Jersey golf courses featured in the film included Beacon Hill Country Club in Atlantic Highlands, Fiddler’s Elbow in Bedminster, Forest Hill Field Club in Bloomfield, Closter Golf Center, Alpine County Club in Demarest, Farmview Golf Center in Hackettstown, Rockleigh Golf Course, Essex Golf Center in Roseland, and Montclair Golf Club in West Orange. New Jersey boasts over 330 golf courses in the state.”
As for the cast, besides Adam and Sunny, the few other main actors are Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald, Benny Safdie and Haley Joel Osment — not exactly Scarlett Johansson, Timothee Chalamet, and Matt Damon in terms of deals. Otherwise, it’s stuffed with cameos from sports stars and celebrities like Bad Bunny who probably got scale and were all paid the same amount of money.
All in all, a strange story. But Netflix has deep pockets, and they’re also building a studio in New Jersey. So they probably think it was worth it to spend $152 million-plus on a movie that tops should have cost $50 mil.
