The reason behind Happy Death Day 3 delays has been clarified by director Christopher Landon. Happy Death Day was released in 2017 to positive reviews and box office success. The film follows Tree, a college student caught in a time loop that forces her to continuously relive the day of her murder until she finds her killer. A sequel, Happy Death Day 2U, was released in 2019, garnering similar reviews while not performing as well as the first film at the box office. Still, director Christopher Landon has plans for another sequel in the franchise.
While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Landon was asked about the movie he would green light if money were no issue. The director chose Happy Death Day 3, delving into why the film is still yet to be made. As with many films waiting on the green light, budgetary concerns are a factor, with Landon stating that Happy Death Day 3 is a bigger story that would require a higher budget. Check out Landon's comments on Happy Death Day 3 below:
"It would definitely be Happy Death Day 3. I have that movie in my head, and I know exactly what I want. It’s actually a bigger movie than the previous two films, and that’s part of the issue, ultimately. This third movie needs a bigger budget, but since the second movie didn’t perform as well as the first, it’s a tall order. But I’m still holding out hope that Universal will give me a chance because it would be a really fun conclusion."
Will Happy Death Day 3 Ever Happen?
Happy Death Day was produced for a modestly budgeted $4.8 million before earning over $125 million worldwide. With success like that, a sequel was quickly greenlit and released two years later. Happy Death Day 2U had a larger $9 million budget, allowing the sequel to up the stakes and build the story. However, despite the first film's success, Happy Death Day 2U made just over $64 million worldwide.
So, while the sequel was profitable, it made less money on a larger budget, making any studio nervous about a potential third film, especially when the budget would need to go up again. With Landon's comments about a more extensive third installment, it's known that the film will need more than the $9 million spent on Happy Death Day 2U, and with no promise of greater returns, the third installment may be stalled out.
Still, even films that failed to succeed to the levels studios had hoped for earned sequels. For example, The Chronicles of Riddick failed to recoup a costly budget, and yet another franchise sequel was made, with Riddick 4 also recently confirmed to be moving forward. However, given 2013's Riddick had to slash its budget, Happy Death Day 3 may have to do the same if Landon hopes to get the film made. There's also the hope of a planned crossover with Landon's other film Freaky, a victim/killer body swap horror comedy, so while Happy Death Day 3 has yet to get the green light, there is still hope that audiences will see another installment in the unique horror franchise.
Source: THR