Parkland father convinced Universal Pictures to reconsider releasing ‘Happy Death Day 2 U’ movie on shooting anniversary

Universal Pictures has changed the release date of the film “Happy Death Day 2 U” after the father of a girl killed in the Parkland school shooting raised concerns about the movie’s timing.

The horror film was originally slated to be released on February 14, 2019, the one-year anniversary of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

{mosads}Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was one of 17 people killed in the shooting, tweeted Tuesday asking the studio to reconsider.

“My daughter and 16 others were killed on February 14th,” Guttenberg said. “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!!!!”

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 followed up with a tweet on Wednesday saying that he spoke with studio executives, who informed him that they would change the release date.

“They will also be taking steps to address the local needs of the Parkland community,” he wrote. “This was a great outcome.”

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

The movie is a sequel to 2017’s “Happy Death Day,” and follows a college student who has to die repeatedly to protect her friends from a masked killer.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that Universal Pictures announced plans to move the release date up by one day.

“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,’’ a Universal spokesman told the paper.

The spokesman also said the studio will not show or promote the movie in Parkland or surrounding areas.

“The studio understands the importance of memorializing the February 14 date as an opportunity to continue to allow the Parkland community to heal,” the spokesman said, according to the Sun Sentinel.