Happy Death Day 2U is coming out this week, and while we have no idea how the movie will end up faring at the box office, director Christopher Landon says the movie is ripe for another sequel. Or since it would be the third movie, a threequel. He explained to CinemaBlend in a recent interview at the Happy Death Day 2U junket that he has an idea for a third movie in mind.
I do have the idea for the third one. And I really hope that people go see this one so that I can make it. Because it’s bonkers. … This one’s more bonkers. But it fits!
Bonkers is about the right word for it. While you are going to have to wait and see this movie for yourself, I can confirm that Happy Death Day 2U both wraps up nicely in a way that could end the sort-of franchise, but also leaves room for a third movie thanks to some clever additional scenes during the credits.
Going back to Christopher Landon’s “bonkers” comments, producer Jason Blum also told CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg that the reason Happy Death Day 2U works is because it’s not a straight rehash of the first movie. It also doesn’t simply amp up the stakes like a lot of other sequels and it tries for something totally different than most sequels might. But don’t take it from me. Here’s what Blum told us:
This is the best example of how to make a successful sequel, you have to feel the DNA of the first movie, but it can’t feel like a repeat. … I was really passionate about this, because of what you’re saying. Because, in a franchise, to have two different genres – maybe we’ll get a third genre in the third movie? And that really hasn’t happened before.
Ahead of the movie’s release, we’ve seen a trailer for Happy Death Day 2U which does seemingly amp up the stakes of the original Happy Death Day. In the trailer, Tree is back in her time loop and this time we see her jump out of a plane in her underwear. Other shenanigans ensue.
From what we’ve been shown in the early marketing, the movie is a traditional sequel; yet, from what we’ve heard about Happy Death Day 2U, it’s anything but. Now, Jason Blum is confirming to fans that the movie is more of a cross-genre movie than a straight horror property and that a third movie could take that idea even further.
Beyond that, should a third film go into production, perhaps there is a way the franchise could then work a third genre into the potential sequel? I suppose a self-aware rom-com could work given Tree’s history with Carter, although there have always been romantic elements threaded through these movies. I’d also kind of like to see Happy Death Day 3 get into ‘80s R-rated action, but that may be wishful thinking given the PG-13 rating of the other two.
Needless to say, it will be interesting to see if audiences respond to Happy Death Day 2U when it hits theaters on Wednesday, February 13 at 9 p.m. ET. CinemaBlend will keep you updated every step of the way, and especially if a third movie in the possible/probable trilogy is greenlighted.
