Jason Blum says he's working hard to make Happy Death Day 3 happen. Directed by Christopher Landon, and written by Scott Lobdell, Happy Death Day was released in 2017. Blending elements of a slasher movie with Groundhog Day, the film follows a college student (Jessica Rothe) who gets stuck in a horrific time loop where she keeps getting murdered by a mystery assailant on her birthday. In order to break the loop and stop reliving the same day over and over again, Rothe’s character embarks on a mission to find the killer and stop her death.
To the surprise of many industry analysts and movie buffs, Happy Death Day debuted at the number one spot in the U.S. box office charts with $26.5 million. The film would ultimately exceed $125 million worldwide, against a budget of just $4.8 million. Critically, the comedy slasher was also a hit. Praise was singled out, in particular, for Rothe’s lead performance. It was generally argued that the feature’s potentially weaker points, such as its shifting tone, was held up by Rothe’s energetic and committed portrayal. Given the film’s popularity, a sequel, titled Happy Death Day 2U, was quickly put into motion. It premiered in February 2019. Fans have been wondering about whether a third installment will happen, receiving mixed messages on the subject.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Blum was asked to give an update on Happy Death Day 3. The founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions offered fans of the franchise reasons to be optimistic. “Let me tell you, I’m working overtime on it. Believe me,” Blum answered. Still, he cautioned there was nothing official in the works yet.
Happy Death Day 2U was viewed as something of a disappointment in terms of its box office performance, especially when compared to the first film. Still, it seems Blum’s thinking on Happy Death Day 3 has shifted. Back in March 2019, he lowered expectations by noting that a third movie was “not very likely but not impossible.” Since then, he’s clarified that the idea of completing a Happy Death Day trilogy is still on his radar in some form. For fans who would like to see the movies continue, Blum’s latest remarks are the most hopeful so far.
The second installment in the Happy Death Day series notably concluded with a post-credits scene. The sequel also afforded the franchise space to evolve, shifting to a more sci-fi lens in a largely lauded creative decision. If the third outing happens, it would be smart to stick to Rothe in the lead role as opposed to the occasional teases of focusing on other characters. She’s the biggest asset of the series, juggling both its goofy and heartfelt moments effortlessly.
Source: Entertainment Tonight