Chapter 31: Test Screening Begins
April 12, 1991 — a seemingly ordinary Tuesday — marked the first true test of Wayne's new life.
Happy Death Day was set to debut in a limited test screening across 40 theaters in New York and Los Angeles, officially stepping into the North American theatrical market.
There was no glamorous red carpet premiere, no blitz of advertising or promotional campaigns. The only publicity the film had received was a 15-second trailer aired during Fox Network's late-night programming.
From the moment 20th Century Fox bought the film outright, everything had been out of Wayne's hands. All he could do now was wait for Fox's audience research data and silently pray for a good reception.
---
Simeon, a survey analyst working for 20th Century Fox, was standing in a theater in West Hollywood, waiting for the very first screening of Happy Death Day to begin.
There hadn't been any major marketing push, and inside the theater, all he could see were a few posters. One showed a frightened blonde woman glancing back over her shoulder — behind her loomed a grotesque mask shaped like a twisted, grinning ghost.
Arriving early, Simeon took a seat near the ticket checkpoint to observe audience turnout. After sitting there for over half an hour, he noted with concern that very few people were choosing to see Happy Death Day.
Finally, as the opening commercials echoed from the auditorium, he nodded to the ticket taker and slipped into a seat in the last row. Sitting in the back helped him better gauge the reactions of the crowd.
The theater chosen for Happy Death Day wasn't tiny — it could hold a little over 80 people if filled. But at the moment, including himself, there were just twenty-something viewers scattered across the room.
Suddenly, the lights dimmed. The 20th Century Fox logo appeared on screen. The quiet murmuring from the audience stopped as everyone turned their attention forward.
There were no long credit sequences or dull setup. The film jumped straight into the plot. Just minutes in, the killer wearing a ghost mask swiftly and brutally stabbed the girl named Tree to death.
"What?"
"Oh my God!!"
"What just happened?!"
Gasps and murmurs filled the room as the shocking kill unfolded. Simeon's interest sharpened immediately.
The story picked up speed. After dying, the "mean girl" Tree started to realize she was trapped in a mysterious cycle — dying again and again, reliving the same day over and over.
The movie wasn't even ten minutes in, and the lead actress had already been murdered once. That bold pacing hooked everyone in the room. Then came the twist — the very next moment, Tree woke up again in her dorm room, as if nothing had happened.
Just as she opened her eyes, everything replayed: her friend's voice, her phone call from her dad, the same party invite. It was all looping again.
"It's a time loop," a viewer in the front row muttered without even realizing it.
Simeon nodded silently. Exactly — a time loop.
A young couple a few seats ahead were whispering, clearly caught up in the story.
"Jerry, she's going to that party again. You think she can escape this time?" "Shhh, babe, holy sh—!"
On-screen, the person opening the door to Tree was again wearing the ghost mask. The whole theater jumped — only to exhale in relief when it turned out to be a prank by a friend.
But just as things seemed safe, Tree was killed again — blood splattering in another shocking death.
Simeon's eyes narrowed. This film wasn't ordinary. It was using simple tricks and smart pacing to grip the entire audience.
To survive the next day, Tree had to figure out who the killer was. Each death helped her eliminate suspects. If death was inevitable, then why not enjoy the chaos? Tree experimented with wild, reckless behavior — including walking through campus completely naked — knowing that none of it would be remembered.
These rebellious antics hit the sweet spot for young viewers. Surprisingly, no one was criticizing Tree for being a "bitch" or a "slut." Everyone was rooting for her.
As the film reached its second half, the auditorium grew silent, aside from occasional laughs and sharp gasps. No one was talking anymore — all eyes were glued to the screen.
But the time loops and the repeated deaths took their toll. With each cycle, Tree's body grew weaker. The damage was accumulating. If she didn't find the killer soon, one of these deaths could be her last.
Eventually, she did discover the killer's identity — and through all the cycles, she also began to reflect on her own life, her regrets, and the person she wanted to become.
Satisfied, Simeon got up and quietly exited the theater. There was no need to watch the last five minutes. He could already guess it — a classic Hollywood ending with Tree and the male lead finding resolution and redemption.
Now it was time to do his actual job: collect viewer feedback. He stood by the doors, survey forms ready, aiming to talk to as many moviegoers as possible.
Then he heard it — a scattered round of applause from the theater.
It wasn't thunderous, but it was spontaneous — a rare thing in small test screenings.
Even Simeon, a seasoned viewer, was impressed. He'd seen dozens of test screenings, and only a handful ever managed to get claps like this from audiences.
He made a note: This one might just have something special.
As the film wrapped up, the audience slowly began to file out of the theater, excitedly chatting about what they had just seen.
"That ending was so emotional—Tree finally escaped her nightmare!"
"The lead actress is gorgeous! I bet she's a cheer captain in real life."
"Do you think the theater sells those masks? I'm gonna grab one and scare my roommate."
"Wayne Garfield? Never heard of that director before."
Watching this group of mostly young viewers, Simeon couldn't help but think—whether it was the moving ending, the over-the-top drama, or even the eye-candy female lead—this was exactly the kind of experience they wanted. And that mattered more than anything.
Simeon stepped forward, holding up a clipboard with audience survey forms. "Mind filling one out?"
"Sure! I'm giving it an A+. You don't get horror movies this good and this touching very often," the only girl among them said as she enthusiastically ticked her answer. "You guys should mark A+ too—it's totally worth it."
Her friends shrugged and followed suit, both also selecting A+ on their forms.
"Great, thank you so much."
With that, Simeon moved on to other moviegoers exiting the theater. He'd done this job more times than he could count, and unless the film was truly awful, most people were happy to share their thoughts.
And just like Simeon, across forty theaters that Wednesday night, other Fox surveyors were doing the same—gathering feedback on this low-budget but unusually effective horror film.
---
At another theater near Century City, the final screening of Happy Death Day had just ended. Wayne walked out hand-in-hand with Naomi.
"So, Naomi, how do you feel about your performance?" Wayne asked, unlocking his pickup and starting the engine. She sat in the passenger seat, clearly not in the best mood.
"Honestly? I didn't really watch the movie. I was too focused on the audience," she sighed. "There were barely twenty people in there. The place was practically empty."
"That's normal, Naomi. It's a Wednesday night. Not exactly prime time for a crowd," Wayne reassured her.
This was a debut indie film with no big-name stars. Of course, it wasn't going to pack theaters from the get-go.
"But hey, it made it to theaters. That's a start. Things will get better. With your role as Tree, you'll definitely start getting noticed," Wayne said, trying to lift her spirits.
"Let's hope we both get some recognition from this," Naomi replied with a small smile.
Wayne wasn't so sure about that. Maybe Naomi would gain some popularity, but as a director—especially in the early '90s—he knew he'd remain behind the scenes. Directors didn't have fanbases yet, not like actors did.
After dropping Naomi off at her apartment and politely declining her invitation upstairs, Wayne returned home and got back to what had become his routine—working on his next script and waiting for the studio's call.
---
At 11 p.m., the call from 20th Century Fox finally came, delivering a full report on the test screening data.
Since it was only shown in two cities and 40 theaters, the full Day One box office numbers were already in:
Average attendance per screening: 19
Average ticket revenue per screening (excluding membership cards): $90
Average number of showings per theater: 8
Total box office from all test screenings: $28,800
Compared to the mega-hits of the future where single screens could pull in $15,000 a day, this was a painfully modest result. In fact, it could be considered a total failure on paper.
Wayne exhaled deeply, grabbed his wallet, and left the apartment. He needed a drink. The spring nights in Los Angeles were already warming up, and even with a breeze, the moment he stepped into the bar, sweat began to form.
"Joey, give me a tall beer," Wayne said, sliding into a stool. He hadn't been to this place in a while. Ever since pre-production, he hadn't allowed himself to unwind like this.
Joey filled a large glass, passed it over, and scooped up the cash without breaking rhythm.
"Heard your movie just premiered, huh?" Joey asked casually as he wiped down the bar with a rag.
"Word travels fast. How'd you hear?" Wayne asked, taking a long, satisfying gulp of his beer.
"This is Hollywood, Wayne," Joey said with a knowing look. He gestured toward the dance floor. "You hear everything in here. Any one of them could be a star tomorrow."
"Fair enough," Wayne chuckled. "Maybe you'll come see it sometime? Support the dream. Who knows—tomorrow I might be a big-time Hollywood director."
Joey set the glass down and gave him a grin.
"I remember when you came to L.A. for school just a few years ago. And now you've got a real movie out? Don't worry, Wayne. I'll bring some friends and check it out. You've got my word."
Hearing that, Wayne suddenly felt a flicker of hope.
That's right. The opening night might've flopped, but he knew the power of word of mouth. If even a handful of viewers told their friends about Happy Death Day, momentum could build.
And after all—survey results don't lie.