Father of Parkland victim gets horror movie 'Happy Death Day 2U' release date moved
The makers of forthcoming horror movie Happy Death Day 2U have agreed to move the film’s release date, following pressure from the father of one of the victims of the Parkland school shooting.
The movie, a sequel to 2017’s Happy Death Day, was due to be released on February 14, the first anniversary of the day that 17 students and staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, were killed by a lone gunman.
14-year-old Jaime Guttenberg was among them, but her father Fred Guttenberg made a public plea to the studio to move the release.
My daughter and 16 others were killed on February 14th. Universal Studios is releasing a move a movie called Happy Death Day 2 U? I get the pun on Valentines Day, for me it will always be the day my daughter was murdered. Please reconsider this!!!!https://t.co/mcx72VKE7A
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) January 16, 2019
He also contacted Jason Blum, of Blumhouse Productions, the producers of the film along with Universal, to do the right thing.
@jason_blum, @blumhouse I sent you an email about this earlier. Please, take a look at my email. I am pleading with you to move this date. I will work with you in any way to help make your movie successful, just please move the release date. Thank you. https://t.co/H1Buk0gG3x
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) January 16, 2019
And yesterday, he announced on Twitter that the voices of parents and survivors had been heard.
Very happy to announce that I just got off the phone with executives at Universal Studios. They will be moving the release date of the movie off of February 14th and they will also be taking steps to address the local needs of the Parkland community. This was a great outcome.
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) January 16, 2019
A rep for Universal told Yahoo Movies in the US: “When Universal Pictures became aware last week that the one-year anniversary of the tragic events in Parkland, Florida, fell on theHappy 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 exhibition, Universal will move the North American release date to February 13.
The spokesperson added: “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.”
The movie, directed by Christopher Landon, and described as a cross between Groundhog Day and Scream, will debut in the UK on the originally planned date of February 14.
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