'Happy Gilmore 2' Scores Biggest Netflix Numbers Ever
Just how many people tuned into this legacy sequel on its opening weekend?
'Happy Gilmore 2'
In case you were wondering if Adam Sandler is still a massive movie star, the answer is a resounding "yes."
In its debut weekend, Happy Gilmore 2 became Netflix's biggest U.S. film opening of all time. According to Variety, the Adam Sandler sequel, which launched on July 25, amassed 46.7 million views in just three days.
This also marks the best-ever opening for one of Sandler's nearly dozen original movies for the streamer.
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The excitement for Happy Gilmore 2 created a halo effect for the original film. Also on Netflix, the 1996 comedy climbed to No. 3 on the global top 10 list, pulling in 11.4 million views and marking its second consecutive week on the chart.
We covered all the fun cameos, and it was easy to see why people were tuning in.
I think a lot of this has to do with hitting millennials who have kids, finding that right nostalgia, and being PG-13, so you feel like you could watch it with the whole family.
But some of it just has to do with seeing a star you like on a streaming service that is easily accessible and pressing 'play'.
Sandler and Netflix have had a very profitable relationship, and while this doesn't ensure a third Happy Gilmore movie, it opens the doors to any of his past movies getting another chapter if he wants them.
Netflix is still a place where people go to watch things, and as the biggest streamer in the world, it can attract stars like Sandler, who can open theatrical movies, by paying them a lot of money and giving them carte blanche to make the movie they want.
The service also looks like it got a two-for-one hit, leveraging the first Happy Gilmore movie into the top 10 just by advertising for the new one and putting it on home pages.
It's hard for theatrical to compete with those strategies, but I am interested to see how other Sandler movies fare in the future. I actually think this could have done well in theaters given the popularity of the property, but time will tell.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
