Happy Death Day 2U will hit theaters earlier than expected

Last Updated on July 21, 2021

I never thought a PG-13 slasher movie could work – and then I watched and loved Blumhouse and writer-director Christopher Landon's HAPPY DEATH DAY starring Jessica Rothe. It was pretty badass. And thus I'm looking forward to the sequel more than my own personal birthday. And speaking of the upcoming slasher sequel, today we wanted to make sure and share the news that HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U has changed its release date… by one day.

To be a bit more specific, Universal has changed the release date for the upcoming sequel up one day to February 13. There is a tragic reason for this in that the release unknowingly coincided with the first anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, FL. that claimed the lives of 17 people. In addition, Universal has also decided not to screen the film in Parkland and the surrounding areas.

Universal announced in a statement:

When Universal Pictures became aware last week that the one-year anniversary of the tragic events in Parkland, Florida fell on the Happy Death Day 2U release date, the studio spoke with victim advocates and immediately began the process of changing the release date of the film. Following discussions with its partners in the exhibition, Universal will move the North American release date to February 13. Additionally, the studio has decided not to show the film in Parkland and the surrounding areas. Outdoor, digital and in-theatre marketing for the film will be suspended in that market. The studio understands the importance of memorializing the February 14 date as an opportunity to continue to allow the Parkland community to heal.

Very noble of you, Blumhouse and Universal. Can't take tragedies like this one lightly. 

Rothe leads the returning cast of HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U, which follows this overly simple synopsis (at the moment): "This time, our hero Tree Gelbman (Rothe) discovers that dying over and over was surprisingly easier than the dangers that lie ahead." And for those of you that need a bit more, or forgot the original rundown, here ya go:

Tree Gelbman is a blissfully self-centered collegian who wakes up on her birthday in the bed of a student named Carter. As the morning goes on, Tree gets the eerie feeling that she’s experienced the events of this day before. When a masked killer suddenly takes her life in a brutal attack, she once again magically wakes up in Carter’s dorm room unharmed. Now, the frightened young woman must relive the same day over and over until she figures out who murdered her.

Jason Blum once again produces and Christopher Landon returns to write and direct this next chapter, while Happy Death Day executive producers Angela Mancuso and John Baldecchi are newly joined by EP Samson Mucke. HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U hits one day before this Valentine’s Day, on February 13, 2019. Will you be making sure to take a date to see all the follow-up PG-13 slasher antics? Let us know below!