‘The Woman in the Yard’ Fails Again: Why Blumhouse Needs to Make Happy Death Day 3

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As “The Woman in the Yard” rakes in $9.4 million during its opening weekend and only manages a 43% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I find myself increasingly puzzled by Blumhouse’s decision not to proceed with “Happy Death Day 3.” Granted, this opening weekend isn’t dismal for Blumhouse considering their film’s $12 million budget. However, when considering the caliber of their recent productions, it seems odd that they would refrain from allowing director Christopher Landon to complete his trilogy.

As a passionate fan, I firmly believe that there’s a strong following for the “Happy Death Day” films. Compared to their recent releases like “Night Swim”, “Imaginary”, and most recently, “The Woman in the Yard”, a third installment of “Happy Death Day” would undoubtedly receive more favorable reception. Despite the upcoming release of “Drop”, which seems promising with Landon at the helm, it’s high time for them to prioritize “Happy Death Day 3” over a horror flick that might quickly fade from memory.

‘Happy Death Day’ Was a Hit for Blumhouse

In 2017, “Happy Death Day” started its journey with director Christopher B. Landon bringing a script by Scott Lobdell to life on-screen. The movie centers around a university student named Tree Gelbman (portrayed by Jessica Rothe). On her birthday night, she meets an untimely end but, much like in the film “Groundhog Day,” she finds herself stuck in a time loop, re-living the same day repeatedly. This gives her the opportunity to uncover who her killer is and stop her own demise. The movie received positive reviews (71% on Rotten Tomatoes) and made a considerable profit at the box office, earning $125.5 million worldwide on a budget of just $4.8 million. Consequently, a sequel titled “Happy Death Day 2U” was released in 2019, with Landon once again penning the screenplay.

In its sequel, the movie shifted towards a science fiction style rather than maintaining the horror roots of its original version. Interestingly, the protagonist, Tree, found herself trapped in the same time loop as the first movie, but this time in an alternate reality of her world. Critics gave it similar praise to the original, scoring it 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, yet the box office returns were lower, grossing $64.5 million worldwide against a $9 million budget. Despite the decreased earnings, it was still considered a major triumph for Blumhouse Productions. However, one might wonder why they haven’t announced plans for a third installment when they are greenlighting other projects that seem uninspired and lackluster.

‘Happy Death Day 3’ Has Been Teased for Years With No Follow-Through

Jason Blum, the boss at Blumhouse Productions, has hinted at a potential third installment of “Happy Death Day” on occasion, but hasn’t made an official confirmation yet. It’s been six years since the second movie was released, and during that time, he’s been asked repeatedly about “Happy Death Day 3”. He usually just gives vague hints that don’t lead to anything concrete. In 2022, Blum mentioned having a lunch meeting with the creators of the series, but this turned out to be nothing more than a tantalizing tease for fans.

Who did I have lunch with yesterday? None other than Mr. Christopher Landon. You might be curious about what we talked about? We chatted about Happy Death Day 3! Now, I’m not confirming anything, but let’s just say that it was a hot topic for us. So, while I can’t reveal any secrets, I also haven’t ruled out the possibility.

It’s disappointing for fans who have been eagerly anticipating a third film, as both Landon and Jessica Rothe have expressed their readiness since as early as 2024. However, the decision ultimately lies with Blumhouse Productions and Universal Pictures, as Rothe herself stated, “Chris Landon has it all planned out. We just need to wait for Blumhouse and Universal to sort things out. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I believe Tree needs her third and final chapter or a new beginning.

It seems that Landon was eagerly looking forward to discussing his idea for a third Universal movie in 2023, as he had been excited about it. However, there’s a catch: the director hinted at a slightly higher budget, although it’s unlikely to be astronomically expensive. To give them credit, Blumhouse isn’t solely responsible here because they need to get Universal equally enthusiastic too. Yet, their decision to decline a third “Happy Death Day” project leaves a bitter taste considering the past collaborations with Universal on less costly projects.

The upcoming film is undeniably ‘Happy Death Day 3’. The concept has been firmly lodged in my mind and I have a clear vision for it. However, this third installment is larger in scale compared to the first two, which presents some challenges. Given that the second movie didn’t fare as well financially as the first, securing a larger budget might prove difficult. Yet, I remain optimistic that Universal will provide an opportunity, as it promises to be a thrilling and satisfying conclusion.

The Recent Subpar Output Should Make ‘Happy Death Day 3’ an Easy Bet

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve noticed that while Universal and Blumhouse have delivered some fantastic collaborations since “Happy Death Day 2U,” there have been quite a few misses in their lineup. Movies like “Black Christmas” ($18 million worldwide, $5 million budget, 39% on Rotten Tomatoes), “The Hunt” (*released during COVID-19, $12.4 million globally, $14 million budget, 57% on Rotten Tomatoes), “Firestarter” ($15 million worldwide, $12 million budget, 10% on Rotten Tomatoes), “Night Swim” ($54.8 million globally, $15 million budget, 20% on Rotten Tomatoes), and more recent releases such as “Wolf Man” ($34.8 million worldwide, $25 million budget, 50% on Rotten Tomatoes) and “The Woman in the Yard” could have been replaced with a third installment of “Happy Death Day.”

It’s disappointing to watch films in this series progress without Landon’s potential brilliance, since he could undoubtedly create a fantastic third installment of Happy Death Day. Given the ongoing trend of Blumhouse productions favoring mediocrity, it’s no surprise that fans are frustrated by the incomplete storyline for Tree.

It seems that “Happy Death Day 3” currently holds the same spot it has for approximately six years. Director Christopher Landon admitted he’s had the concept ready but hadn’t penned the script, fearing premature enthusiasm might lead to disappointment. He explained, “I didn’t write the script because I never want to count my eggs before they hatch and get carried away. But I was prepared to dive in and start writing, yet it felt strange.” Later, he shared insights into the peculiar situation that arose with Universal and Blumhouse Productions concerning a third film.

Initially, there were many instances where we considered making another film, but plans changed frequently. At one point, it was suggested that this could become a three-part series for the streaming service Peacock, which seemed unusual to me. I just shrugged and said, “Alright, whatever it takes.” However, the idea eventually vanished, and we’ve not heard anything about it since, which has been quite some time ago. This journey has been intriguing because both films were financially successful, leaving many of us and fans puzzled as to why a third movie wasn’t made. But I don’t have the final say; that decision lies with Blumhouse and Universal, who would need to show interest for it to happen.

As I eagerly await the release of Landon’s latest flick, “Drop”, hitting theaters on April 11, I can’t help but feel optimistic about the future of “Happy Death Day 3”. With a staggering 89% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes for “Drop”, it seems that Universal and Blumhouse are on a roll. If this film proves to be another success for them, perhaps they will finally greenlight another installment of the “Happy Death Day” franchise.

Given Landon’s successful collaboration with these studios, having worked together on several projects including the critically acclaimed “Freaky”, it’s not hard to imagine him continuing this partnership. Here’s hoping that they finally listen to the clamor of fans who are yearning for another “Happy Death Day” rather than settling for yet another generic, low-budget horror film aimed at quick profits.

In the meantime, if you haven’t had a chance to catch up with the first two films, you can easily do so by renting “Happy Death Day” on Prime Video, Apple TV, or Google Play. Enjoy!

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2025-04-05 22:02