Richard Kiel, an iconic Bond villain who portrayed a giant Happy Gilmore fan who intimidates rival Shooter McGavin in the first film, is honored by having his character's son appear in the sequel. Kiel died at 74 in 2014.

The opening minutes of the long-awaited Happy Gilmore sequel reveal a legacy character has been shockingly killed off.

Director Kyle Newacheck has shared his initial reaction to the surprising plot development at the start of Happy Gilmore 2, which premiered on Netflix on July 25. Speaking to PEOPLE, Newacheck revealed he was unaware of the major storyline involving Julie Bowen’s character, Virginia Venit, until reading the completed screenplay.

After dropping Vienna off at the airport, Happy looks up at the sky and sees Virginia (as well as Bob Barker) once again. “You’re okay,” she says, and he mouths a kiss to his dead wife. Happy’s finally ready to move forward with his life, golf clubs and all.

Bowen reprises her character, Virginia Venit, in the comedy classic's second installment. Within the first four minutes of the film, Venit — who's since married Happy, welcomed five kids together and started a family — gets killed off, a tragedy caused by her husband.

Find out how Adam Sandler’s family, including wife Jackie and daughters Sunny and Sadie, star alongside him in 'Happy Gilmore 2'

Adam Sandler has paid tribute to his late “Grown Ups” co-star with a thoughtful scene in “Happy Gilmore 2,” which premiered on Netflix on Friday, July 25. The blink-and-you-miss-it moment comes early in the new sequel when Sandler’s titular character, Happy Gilmore, approaches a check-in booth before starting a round of golf.

Leave it to Adam Sandler to pull off a major twist no one saw coming. Nearly 20 years after the release of Happy Gilmore, Sandler and many familiar faces returned for Happy Gilmore 2, which premiered July 25 on Netflix.

As far as legacy comedy sequels go, Happy Gilmore 2 impressively has the comedic stuff to be worthy of its predecessor.