Happy Death Day star Jessica Rothe said this week that she and director Christopher Landon have finished plotting a third film, revealing the news at Deadline's TIFF Studio while promoting her new slasher River.
TL;DR
- Rothe says she and Christopher Landon have "broken the whole story" for Happy Death Day 3.
- The pair are now waiting on Universal and Blumhouse to fund production.
- She made the comments at Deadline's TIFF Studio while promoting her new film, River.
- UK viewers can currently stream the first two films on Netflix UK, Amazon Video and Apple TV.
What Rothe revealed at TIFF
Jessica Rothe, star of the Happy Death Day franchise, said she personally helped map out the long-awaited third film. She made the comments during a Deadline interview at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Rothe was there to promote River, a new slasher directed by Joshua Giuliano. According to Deadline, she used the appearance to share an update on the delayed threequel.
Inside the writing session
Rothe said she and Christopher Landon, the franchise's writer-director, sat down together away from studio pressure. "Chris Landon and I have actually broken the whole story," she said, according to Deadline.
She described meeting Landon at a café between their homes to work through the plot for several hours. The pair are now waiting for Universal and Blumhouse to commit funding, Rothe said.
Landon has directed and co-written both prior films. The original 2017 movie followed Tree Gelbman, played by Rothe, reliving her murder in a time loop until she identified her killer.
Where the franchise stands now
The first Happy Death Day grossed heavily against a modest budget, and 2019's Happy Death Day 2U expanded the story into parallel-universe territory. Both films remain popular with UK horror fans years later.
BBFC rating: 15
Source: BBFC
UK audiences can currently stream Happy Death Day 2U on Netflix UK, while the original is available to rent via Amazon Video and the Apple TV Store, according to Flicks. Franchise threequels stuck in funding limbo aren't unique to horror — Sandra Bullock recently gave a similar update on a possible Practical Magic 3.
What's next for River and Rothe
River, co-starring Jane Levy, Max Mattern and Dane DiLiegro, premiered as part of TIFF's Midnight Madness program. Dread Central covered the premiere and awarded the film a positive review, according to the outlet's coverage.
Festival premieres have carried unusually high stakes this year, echoing the emotional reception John Malkovich received at Venice for Wild Horse Nine. No Happy Death Day 3 production timeline or UK release window has been confirmed.
Reported from publicly available interviews and verified press sources. Last reviewed Sept. 14, 2026.
