Happy Death Day (watch it HERE) and Happy Death Day 2U (watch that one HERE) director Christopher Landon let it be known as soon as Happy Death Day 2U was released that he had plans for a Happy Death Day 3 (which would be called Happy Death Day to Us). But while Happy Death Day had earned a sequel by making over $125 million at the global box office on a budget that was just under $5 million, the third film hasn’t happened because Happy Death Day 2U only made $64 million. That’s pretty good for a movie that cost $9 million… but distributor Universal Pictures was hesitant to make a follow-up to movie that made so much less than its predecessor. And during a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Landon revealed that one reason why he can’t get a greenlight for Happy Death Day 3 is the fact that it would require an even higher budget.
When asked what movie he would like to make if money was no object, Landon said, “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.“
When the interviewer pointed out that Happy Death Day 2U made seven times its production budget at the box office, Landon replied, “I don’t even know if they actually look at what they made at the box office. I think they look at it like, ‘Well, the first one did this and the second one did this, therefore the third one will do even less.’ There’s just a certain kind of math that they do that makes them go, ‘Eh.’ And they also spend really big on marketing. So I understand the economics of it, but I also think they’re missing the fact that we’ve gained an audience over the years. People finally found their way to the second movie and realized that it was really fun. So, if we did make a third one, I think we’d have a bigger audience than they expect. Or we could do it for Peacock. I don’t know. (Laughs.) It doesn’t have to be theatrical. I’d prefer it, but it doesn’t have to be.“
Landon and the interview agreed that the problem wasn’t that the second movie underperformed, but that the first film had overperformed, “creating unrealistic expectations on the second film.”
There have also been musings about a crossover between characters from Happy Death Day and another Landon slasher, Freaky. But Landon said that was just a fun thought that had been thrown around and there is no treatment in mind for a crossover. Happy Death Day 3 is the movie he really wants to make… so I hope he’ll get the chance to make it.
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