Years of false starts and a revolving door of directors had fans reeling, knowing the possibility of bringing Five Nights at Freddy's to the big screen was dwindling with every setback. However, now that Blumhouse Productions' live-action adaptation of Scott Cawthon's Five Nights at Freddy's is nearing its release date, longtime fans of the wildly popular horror game-turned-film can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The main hang-up for the film getting the green light has been the script. Game creator Cawthon has finally given his seal of approval to a script co-authored by the film's director Emma Tammi along with screenwriter Seth Cuddebeck and Cawthon himself.
With the film finally becoming a reality now after years of languishing development, fans of the video game who have been anticipating the adaptation for quite some time are more than excited. With the adaptation's ever-changing cast and crew, viewers haven't known what to expect from the movie. For a brief moment in time, an A-list director was attached to the project. Then there was news of an up-and-coming director landing the job. However, now with definite confirmation regarding the release of the film and the fact that Blumhouse will definitely want this film to deliver to set up a movie franchise as popular as the games, there's a lot that fans are expecting from Five Nights at Freddy's. Here are some of the top things that viewers are hoping to see in the film!
Updated on October 14th, 2023, by Jessica Peerez: This article has been updated with more details of what fans hope to see from Five Nights at Freddy's.
The Iconic Animatronic Creatures
The hallmark of Five Nights at Freddy's has been the spooky and unsettling atmosphere of the game. Set in a fictional world where the best place to get pizza is Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, owned by the parent company Fazbear Entertainment. The allure of the restaurant is not just the pizza, but the cast of animatronic characters beloved by children of all ages.
These include the titular Freddy Fazbear as well as Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy. It will be interesting to see how the film chooses to portray the characters. The trailers released for the film have already established that the outward appearance of the animatronics is somewhat different from the game. What will the characteristics and personalities of the mascots be like though? Will they be the same as the game, or will the film have a few creative deviations? Fans have high expectations for the adaptation as the special effects are being handled by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Who better than to bring the iconic crew of animatronic puppets gone berserk to life?
The Cast of Characters
The film has an impressive cast and fans like what they're seeing so far. Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games) assumes the role of the unlucky security guard Mike Schmidt. Hutcherson's appeal will make him an excellent surrogate for the audience as we can easily identify with him. Matthew Lillard (Scream, The Descendants) takes on the role of William Afton, the founder of Afton Robotics LLC, and the lead designer on the animatronic creations. Lillard will bring his usual high energy to the role. He is no stranger to playing evil characters. His portrayal of Stuart in Scream was a great balance of comedy and menace. Elizabeth Lail (You) will also be taking up a role as Vanessa. Keeping the character's fans know from the games is a great way to get them excited for the adaptation and give them something to connect to.
However, looks like the film will be bringing in a few new characters to the story as well. For example, Piper Rubio's Abby, whom viewers were introduced to in the trailers. The actress plays an original role created for the film and will be Mike's sister. Abby accompanies Mike on his job as a security guard at the restaurant. Actress Mary Stewart Masterson (Benny & Joon, Fried Green Tomatoes) has also joined the cast in a yet-to-be-named villain role. Fans now hope to see other new characters in the film. Hopes also exist for possible cameos. It'll, no doubt, be a treat for fans if Cawthon himself had an appearance in the film, given his role in making the game a reality. Maybe he could be the Phone Guy as he was in the game but also have an on-screen presence?
Tension and Jump Scares Galore
Fans also hope that the action on screen will be as immersive as the game. We know director Emma Tammi (The Wind) is no stranger to creating tension and atmosphere. She helmed two standout episodes of the horror anthology series Into The Dark. She has a lot to bring to the table and has been involved in the screenwriting, closely collaborating with Scott Cawthon on a proper telling of the story.
Five Nights at Freddy's is a franchise that works as a game for several reasons. The plot is clever enough to keep gamers hooked without being too convoluted. We expect to see the same in the upcoming film. Easter eggs and in-game clues are what Five Nights at Freddy's fans have come to expect, and we see no reason why the film won't include such surprises. We expect to see a lot of jump scares. It is what Five Nights at Freddy's does better than almost every other game. We can bet that there will be several spine-tingling moments in the upcoming film.
Another hope of fans is to see how many nights Mike survives at the restaurant. How will his sister factor into the survival equation? As per the trailer, Mike fights to survive but also to make sure that Freddy and the gang don't convert Abby into one of them. How many sunrises will Mike and Abby live to see? After all, five nights is sure to seem an eternity when you're being tortured and chased by maniacal animatronics. Audiences everywhere will be gripping their seats and trying not to spill their popcorn as the animatronic Freddy and his friends lurk behind every corner.
Five Nights at Freddy's is scheduled to release on October 27, 2023, in perfect time for Halloween. Blum and Tammi have already expressed that they are excited for fans to finally see the adaptation. The film will be released simultaneously in theaters and on the streaming platform Peacock. The choice is up to viewers; do you want to see the murderous Freddy and his gang bigger than life on a giant screen or would you prefer to cozy up on your couch at home where you have enough and more freedom to scream in fright?