Many would argue that Five Nights at Freddy’s was a fun flick for Halloween 2023. Sure, critics felt it was a "sanitized" video game adaptation, which some would attribute to the film's PG-13 rating. But, clearly, fans of the video game and of Blumhouse didn’t care what the critics said, as the movie raked in some very impressive box office numbers during its theatrical run. There's still a question, though, of whether or not we’ll see the return of the five animatronic mascots, as the fate of a sequel remains uncertain.
Considering what a commercial success Five Nights at Freddy’s was, you’d think a sequel would have been officially announced by now. After all, one of its stars, Matthew Lillard, even signed a three-picture deal with Universal to be part of its original trilogy plans. While speaking with Collider, Ryan Turek -- Vice President of Blumhouse’s Feature Film Development -- acknowledged the fact that "the movie made so much money." He also weighed in on where things stand with a follow-up:
That movie made so much money. It was a huge success, and we're grateful for that. Emma [Tammi] did such a great job, but we’re still waiting for the green light on that. We'll see.
Based on what we know about a possible Five Nights at Freddy’s sequel thus far, a delayed sequel confirmation could indicate that Universal Studios could desire a larger stake in the franchise. That would require larger deals and contracts to be worked out. So the white noise we’re experiencing right now as we wait for a green light may not be a bad sign. = If a FNAF 2 really does happen, filming could theoretically start this spring, and the studio could circle another date that's close to Halloween.
Even if the critics didn’t agree with Five Nights at Freddy’s, the numbers sure did. FNAF's opening weekend box office debut was strong, as the movie earned $78 million. Despite box office moolah concerns about a simultaneous streaming release with Peacock, it defied expectations. Even with a 76% drop in its second weekend, the Emma Tammi-helmed film still made history after seven weekends as the biggest theatrical/streaming-released film and hit a huge milestone for Blumhouse, in that it became the studio's most successful film to date. In total, the supernatural horror film made $294.9 million worldwide, which isn't too shabby for Freddy Fazbear and the rest of the eerie animatronics.
While speaking with Ryan Turek, Collider commented on how “crazy” it is to have to wait around for a sequel to be greenlit. The exec, when responding, provided a reasonable take:
No, it's not crazy. It's just part of the process, I think.
The quickness by which a follow-up of any kind is greenlit can definitely by the property. Some are ordered quickly, while others need more time to percolate. After all, there are questions that every proposed sequel needs to answer, and all of that needs to be worked out. And in the case of a FNAF 2, there are still plenty of variables that must be considered. It’s to be assumed that cast members like Josh Hutcherson, Piper Rubio, and Matthew Lillard would return. However, one has to consider whether Emma Tammi would direct the production.
Another important question would be if the Five Nights at Freddy’s sequel could tell an original story. Per reports, the initial sequel plans were for the movie to be based on the second game. Considering the complaints over the movie not going as hard on jumpscares as the game did, maybe a sequel can try to delve deeper into the horror aspects than the straight-up drama. At this point, this is all hypothetical, of course, and there's really no telling if or when this movie might actually happen
The wait for official news on a sequel to Five Nights at Freddy’s could be tough for those who enjoyed the adaptation. All fans can do right now is be patient and cross their fingers that a follow-up does get made by Blumhouse at some point. In the meantime, you can also watch the animatronics wreak havoc at the titular abandoned pizza place by streaming the movie with a Peacock subscription.
