Happy Death Day Director Has Disappointing Update on Third Film

The first Happy Death Day became a surprising success with both audiences and critics alike, earning positive reviews and performing well at the box office, resulting in the development of the sequel Happy Death Day 2U, but director Christopher Landon's latest update on a third film is sure to disappoint fans. In the years since the last film was released, there have been ups and downs in regard to interest expressed in completing the trilogy, with Landon noting that communications with Universal Pictures about a possible continuation have stagnated, making it seem less likely that the project would come to fruition.

When asked for an update on the third film by /Film, Landon confessed, "No movement at all, sadly. There was a tiny moment where I really felt like I had Universal's attention, but they forgot about me. I think it's a really tough one for them, and I'm being really blunt and honest in that the first movie was very successful. It made a lot of money. It was well-received. And the sequel was not. The sequel is loved by people who have seen it, but it did not make a lot of money, and it was not a success for them. So it's very hard to motivate them to make a third movie when the last one just didn't perform. Those are the hard economics of the business."

One of the more promising developments in the years since Happy Death Day 2U was released was the launch of Universal's streaming platform Peacock, which has seen the release of original horror films like They/Them and Sick. If those films resonate strongly enough with audiences, it will likely bode well for Happy Death Day to Us.

"So I don't know what it would take. There was talk for a minute of it maybe being a Peacock thing," the filmmaker expressed. "Maybe. Maybe one day. The beauty of it is that my idea, the whole idea for the third movie, it is not dependent on any sort of specific window or timeframe. So I could make it any time, but I mean, as the years draw past, I feel like our chances are dimming."

In addition to the third film seeing ups and downs in progress over the years, another constant is that Landon confirmed audiences will learn how the trilogy will be completed eventually, even if he doesn't end up releasing that conclusion in the form of a feature film.

Stay tuned for details on the potential of Happy Death Day to Us.

Are you hoping we get the third film? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

0comments