The release of Happy Death Day in 2017 took a lot of horror fans by surprise, largely based on how rare it is to get a slasher that’s PG-13 but still highly entertaining. A large factor of that movie’s success was Jessica Rothe‘s performance, as her on-screen presence more than made up for the movie’s lack of blood and gore. We got to see even more of her talents in the sequel, Happy Death Day 2U, and even though we have yet to get an end to this trilogy, Rothe has maintained a significant presence in the genre.
In fact, just this month alone, Rothe had three movies playing at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, courtesy of River, Beware Boiúna, and Pathetic Fallacy. Her future in the genre doesn’t seem to be slowing, as she even has some ideas on what she’d like to tackle in the future.
During a Reddit AMA, Rothe was asked which iconic slasher franchise she’d like to join, and she enthusiastically confirmed, “Friday the 13th!” Unfortunately, there aren’t currently any plans for a new entry in the franchise, though we’ll be getting the prequel TV series Crystal Lake on Peacock shortly. Perhaps if the show is a hit, there can be more momentum behind the powers that be to develop a new Friday the 13th movie.
Elsewhere in the conversation, she was asked about other filmmakers she’d like to work with, as she responded, “I would kill to work with Sam [Raimi]. [Zach] Cregger. Curry Barker, Robert Eggers, Chris Landon a million times more. The list goes on.” Reflecting on her own connection to the genre, she detailed, “First horror movie that scared the absolute sh-t out of me was The Ring. That put me off them for a while because it literally scared me lol. But first that showed me how deep and complex and badass horror could be? Probably The Thing.”
Rothe’s River had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and impressed audiences, as it currently sits at 92% positive on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. Blumhouse Atomic Monster quickly swooped in to acquire the title, though it doesn’t yet have an official release date. While it might be months before the general public gets to enjoy the experience, Rothe already teased some conversations that River could get a follow-up.
“[Writer/director] Josh [Giuliano] is an absolute genius, and I loved working with him. It is early, but I know he has some ideas… All I’ll say is that I would return in a heartbeat,” Rothe noted. “Love him. Love [costar] Jane [Levy]. Love the River. BUT ALSO! The best way to guarantee a sequel to River (or any movie you love) is to go see it in theaters. Studios pay attention to those numbers. So show your love and spread the word!”
Beware Boiúna is set to be released on October 2, but her other new movies don’t yet have release dates.
Would you like to see Rothe revive Friday the 13th? Let us know in the comments below!
