‘Happy Death Day 3’ Is Officially Coming Back to Life!
Time loop horror fans, rejoice! The long-awaited third installment in the clever “Happy Death Day” franchise is finally escaping development hell and heading toward production.
In an announcement that sent fans screaming with delight, franchise star Jessica Rothe confirmed at an American Cinematheque double feature screening of the previous films that “The third movie is moving forward,” with director Christopher Landon standing beside her to affirm the news.
Six Years in the Making
It’s been a grueling six-year wait since 2019’s “Happy Death Day 2U” left audiences hungry for more time-bending horror comedy. During that period, the project has experienced more stops and starts than Tree Gelbman’s repeating death day.
Landon previously revealed that Universal and Blumhouse had once considered pivoting the third chapter into a three-part miniseries for Peacock—a plan that ultimately died on the vine. The director has long had a vision for completing his trilogy, reportedly under the working title “Happy Death Day to Us.”
A Different Direction
Fans of the franchise can expect the third installment to take a fresh approach. Back in 2020, Landon teased that the planned sequel would be “different than the other two films,” suggesting a potential evolution of the series’ unique blend of slasher horror, sci-fi, and comedy.
“I know that Chris has it all mapped out in his genius brain,” Rothe told Coming Soon in 2020, “but I also know that we only want to complete it if we get to do it right.”
The actress has remained committed to the character of Tree throughout the years, even suggesting she would return decades later if necessary: “If we pull a Jamie Lee Curtis from ‘Halloween’ and Tree comes back as a badass 50-year-old, I know that we will get to tell the rest of the story.”
Early Stages
While details remain scarce, this announcement marks the first concrete confirmation that “Happy Death Day 3” has received some form of green light from the studio. The project appears to be in its earliest stages, with no production timeline or release date yet announced.
The original “Happy Death Day” (2017) was a surprise hit, grossing $125 million worldwide on a modest $4.8 million budget. Its sequel performed less impressively at the box office but expanded the mythology in ways that left fans eager for resolution.
For now, fans can celebrate that Tree’s story will continue—hopefully without another six-year wait between chapters!