Warning: SPOILERS For Happy Death Day 2U:

Happy Death Day 2U leads right into a potential Happy Death Day 3. Here’s everything we know so far about the next installment of writer-director Christopher Landon’s genre-bending, sci-fi/comedy/horror franchise.

In Happy Death Day 2U, Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) learned the cause of the time loop that made her continually relive and get murdered in Happy Death Day: Ryan (Phi Vu), the science nerd roommate of Tree’s boyfriend Carter (Isarel Broussard), invented a machine called the Sisyphus Quantum Cooling Reactor (SISSY for short). SISSY then overloaded and not only trapped Tree in another time loop, but it sent her to a parallel dimension as well. Tree had to figure out a way to get home and stop a new Babyface Killer in the process.

Happy Death Day 2U significantly expanded the franchise and set up a third chapter. Thus far, here’s all the info we know about Happy Death Day 3.

Happy Death Day 3 Hasn’t Been Officially Confirmed (But Will Likely Happen)

According to producer Jason Blum, the box office performance of Happy Death Day 2U will determine whether a third film is made. In 2017, the first Happy Death Day opened at $26 million in the US alone and went onto gross $125 million worldwide. Happy Death Day 2U’s opening 5-day gross is also $26 million worldwide (but only $14 million in the US); while the sequel is a weaker performer, it has still more than earned back its $9 million budget. This opens the door wide open for Happy Death Day 3, which Blum and Christopher Landon have already stated they’re excited to make.

When Will Happy Death Day 3 Release?

Once its greenlit, Happy Death Day 3 could conceivably hit theaters in late 2020 or early 2021. The first Happy Death Day took five weeks to film and was released in October 2017. Happy Death Day 2U began principal photography in May 2018 and was released in February 2019, just 16 months after the original film. Following the same production schedule, Happy Death Day 3 could conceivably even make a summer 2020 release date, although fans would more likely see Tree’s third time looping adventure avoid the ultra-competitive summer box office field.

Happy Death Day 3 Will Be A Different Genre

Happy Death Day 3 looks like it will be different from its predecessors, which fits with Jason Blum’s plan for each Happy Death Day movie to be in a different genre. Happy Death Day was a college-set horror/slasher film merged with Groundhog Day’s time loop gimmick. Happy Death Day 2U retained the time loops but backburnered the horror aspect to instead deliver a zany, inter-dimensional sci-fi comedy inspired by Back to the Future Part II.

Christopher Landon already has a “really bonkers and fun idea” for Happy Death Day 3 and even Jason Blum excitedly agreed that “it’s the best idea”. Both are eager to make the third film, as is star Jessica Rothe. Considering the Back to the Future trilogy ended with a western, that type of genre pivot may be a clue to the kind of offbeat direction Happy Death Day 3 will take.

Happy Death Day 3’s Story Was Set Up By Happy Death Day 2U

Happy Death Day 2U’s post-credits scene already sets up the story of Happy Death Day 3. After Tree is finally able to close the loop and return to her home dimension, a new element is introduced in the form of DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) led by Dr. Isaac Parker (Kenneth Israel). Dr. Parker brings the college students to a DARPA lab and reveals they took possession of SISSY and want to test its potential to trap people in time loops. Tree volunteers her frenemy Danielle (Rachel Matthews) as SISSY’s new victim - and Danielle wakes up screaming, indicating she’s now stuck in her own time loop.

The escalation of Tree’s universe seen in Happy Death Day 2U is now poised to continue in the third film now that the U.S. Government is looking to exploit SISSY. This opens up all kinds of possibilities that will no doubt force Tree back into a time loop, likely to save Danielle. Considering the franchise began with Tree saving herself and widened to Tree saving her friends in the sequel, could Happy Death Day 3 possibly involve Tree saving the world?

Next: Happy Death Day 2U’s Post-Credits Scene And Sequel Tease Explained

  • Happy Death Day 2U Release Date: 2019-02-14