Full Breakdown
Happy Death Day 3 Story Completed, Still Awaiting Funding
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Development Update
Jessica Rothe confirmed that she and writer-director Christopher Landon have fully mapped out the plot for a third installment of the *Happy Death Day* franchise. The two collaborators spent several hours at a neutral meeting place—a Le Pain Quotidien located between their homes—to “break” the story, establishing the beats, structure, and ending. Rothe emphasized that the creative work is finished; the remaining obstacle is securing a modest budget from Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions.
Background of the Franchise
The original *Happy Death Day* (2017) introduced college student Tree Gelbman, who relives her birthday murder until she identifies her killer. The film, written by Scott Lobdell and directed by Landon, cost roughly $4.8 million to produce and generated about $125.5 million worldwide. Its sequel, *Happy Death Day 2U* (2019), expanded the premise into a parallel-universe scenario, was made for approximately $9 million, and earned $64.6 million globally. The financial disparity between the two entries has been cited as a factor in the studio’s hesitation to greenlight a third film.
Financial Hurdles
Both Rothe and Landon have indicated that the story is ready but financing has not been approved. Neither Universal nor Blumhouse has issued a public statement on the project’s status. The lack of a script, production schedule, or release date underscores that the venture remains in the pre-production budgeting phase rather than moving toward filming.
Timeline of Recent Updates
- September 14, 2026 – Rothe announced at a TIFF Studio interview that the third-film story is completed but still awaiting money.
- 2025 – At an American Cinematheque double-feature of the first two movies, Rothe and Landon told the audience that a third film was moving forward; no financing materialized by the following year.
- February 11, 2019 – Director Christopher Landon attended a Universal Pictures special screening of *Happy Death Day 2U* at ArcLight Hollywood.
- September 17 (through 24) – Rothe’s current project, the slasher *River*, is scheduled to screen at Fantastic Fest in Austin.
Official Responses
Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions have not publicly commented on the financing request or on any planned production timeline for *Happy Death Day 3*. Their silence leaves the project’s future dependent on internal budget deliberations.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Public information confirms that the story is fully outlined, yet no screenplay, start date, or release schedule has been announced. The primary gap is the undisclosed amount of funding required to move from story development to production. Additionally, while box-office figures for the first two films are documented, no cost estimate for the third film has been provided, leaving stakeholders without a clear financial benchmark.
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*The article synthesizes statements from the involved talent and publicly reported franchise data, adhering strictly to the available sources.*