Five Nights At Freddy
The live-action Five Nights At Freddy's movie adaptation gets an important update, including a 2023 release date. The upcoming feature film adaptation based on Scott Cawthon's 2014 horror hit video game will star Matthew Lillard, Josh Hutcherson, and Mary Stewart Masterson. The original Five Nights at Freddy's video game centered on a new, unwitting night guard taking a job overseeing the CCTV footage for a decrepit pizza restaurant, only to wind up targeted by the establishment's malfunctioning killer animatronics.
Universal Pictures revealed that the upcoming Five Nights at Freddy's film adaptation has been scheduled to release both in theaters and on the streaming service Peacock before Halloween, as the horror adaptation has received an October 27, 2023 release date. The horror movie is in line with previous releases from Blumhouse in recent years, where the studio chose to release certain anticipated features in theatres and on streaming. In 2021 and 2022, Blumhouse Productions opted to release both Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends simultaneously on the streaming service and in theatres. In addition, Blumhouse posted the movie's first look on Instagram alongside the synopsis and confirmed release dates.
What We Know About Blumhouse's Five Nights at Freddy's
Despite being a more recent horror hit compared to other properties that Blumhouse has had a hand in reinventing and reintroducing, including Halloween and The Exorcist, Five Nights at Freddy's has gathered an impressive selection of talent in bringing the game to life. Produced by studio co-founder Jason Blum and directed by Emma Tammi, the film will also see the involvement of the acclaimed Jim Henson's Creature Shop. The visual effects company will work on the animatronic designs and technology, bringing the game's terrifying pizza restaurant mascot characters to live-action.
While many details are still currently under wraps aside from the short synopsis, it has also been revealed who the cast members will play in the upcoming Five Nights at Freddy's film. Lillard is set to portray William Afton, the series' main antagonist who co-founded Fazbear Entertainment and built the recognizable animatronics while also being a serial killer. Meanwhile, Hutcherson will portray Mike Schmidt, the first game's protagonist, who takes a job at the now considerably aged restaurant, only to be haunted by Afton's animatronics.
While Five Nights at Freddy's may not have the same long lifespan as the Halloween franchise, the series is still a modern horror juggernaut. The series rose to prominence through Let's Plays before becoming a profitable property that expands into tie-in novels and spin-off games. As such, it is clear that Blumhouse is confident enough in the properties' popularity that a simultaneous release won't affect the potential box office performance while also allowing it to become one of 2023's most anticipated Halloween movies.
Source: Universal Pictures, Blumhouse/Instagram