HAPPY DEATH DAY Director Shuts Down Hopes For a Third Movie; Says It Was Almost a Three-Part Event on Peacock
Fans of Happy Death Day have been waiting for a third chapter in the time-loop slasher saga. But if you were still holding out hope for Happy Death Day 3, you might want to let it go.
Writer and director Christopher Landon just gave a very honest update, and it doesn’t sound promising. While speaking with SFX Magazine, Landon revealed that while there was once some momentum behind a third film, the conversations stopped a long time ago.
"I didn't write the script because I never want to count my chickens and get ahead of myself. But I was ready to go and start writing this, but then it was sort of like, it was weird," he explained.
That “weirdness” included some early talks about shifting the franchise over to streaming, specifically as a limited event series.
"We had a lot of fits and spurts in terms of maybe we'll do it. At one point they talked about it becoming a three-part event thing for [streaming service] Peacock, which was kind of weird," Landon added.
"I was like, 'Alriiiiiight! Whatever it takes.' But then it went away and that was the last we ever heard of it – which was years ago."
So, that’s where things stand. No script. No active development. Just the lingering details of what could’ve been.
Landon previously shared his concept for the third film saying: “The idea for the third film is not set in the same day, if that’s a big spoiler. So it can happen later.”
He added: “We’re not up against a really difficult clock right now. The other movies were hard, because they were set in the exact same day, so everybody had to look the same, be the same. The pressure is off there.”
He went onto to say: “It’s definitely off to the side at the moment. I wish it wasn’t, and I know that [Jason Blum, producer] is passionate about it, I know I’m very passionate about it, and I know that Jessica Rothe is really eager to do it as well.”
He continued: “I wrote the idea for the third movie some time ago. I think we’re all excited by it, because it’s different than the other two films, and so we’re really just crossing our fingers and hoping that our fanbase continues to grow – which is something that I’ve really enjoyed watching over the years, seeing more and more people discover both films. So who knows. There might be a time when it makes sense, and hopefully it’s sooner rather than later.”
Landon admits the franchise’s disappearance from Universal and Blumhouse’s radar has left him confused:
"It's been an interesting journey because both movies were financially very successful, so I think it's left us and a lot of fans scratching their heads as to why we weren't allowed to make a third.
“But I don't control the purse strings, I don't call those shots. That's entirely up to Blumhouse and Universal, if they have an appetite or interest in it."
For now, Tree’s story is stuck in limbo, and the loop may be broken for good.