One of the creepiest film adaptations of a video game returns to the big screen on December 5, 2025. arrives exclusively in theaters to scare the heck out of viewers who find animatronic characters frightening. The first film released in 2023 was a solid adaptation that made nearly $300 million at the box office. Naturally, Universal Pictures was going to push for a sequel. However, producer Jason Blum had to address some feedback before greenlighting it. Apparently, he heard the good as well as the bad things that fans had to say about the movie, and he took care of business.

Based on a series of horror video games, the first Five Nights at Freddy's spent a lot of time stuck in development hell. Creator Scott Cawthon always made sure to stay involved in whatever creative decision was made, and after passing through the hands of several directors, Emma Tammi was the one selected by Jason Blum to tackle the film. The result was as good as you would expect from a horror film based on a video game. Audiences loved it, but critics were not so kind to it. Nevertheless, its impressive box office performance drew the attention of Universal execs, who saw the film as a remarkable example of simultaneous theatrical and streaming releases. Five Nights at Freddy's may have been critically panned, but it was profitable.

Jason Blum is also a horror visionary who won't exactly make a cash grab. Per the report by CBR, the producer appeared at the CCXP convention in Mexico where he talked about the Blumhouse slate of upcoming movies. Blum mentioned Five Nights at Freddy's 2 as one of the most exciting upcoming projects, and he made sure to mention something that will appeal to fans of the movie, but also those who followed the video game series. The screenplay by Scott Cawthon had to take into account the criticisms of the first movie and work from there:

The first Five Nights at Freddy's was far from a bad movie. Sure, it sits at 32% on the Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, but it is a horror movie, and low ratings by critics are so frequent that they have become badges of honor among the horror community. In this case, success should also be measured by what audiences thought about it. The proof is the strong 86% score on the Popcornmeter at Rotten Tomatoes, a.k.a. the audience score.

The film took the original concept, which is not that profound, and framed a good story around it. It also featured compelling characters, a good set of scares, and the right amount of gore. However, it is true that its PG-13 rating may have affected the final cut. Some fans expected a wild ride of violence and depravity led by fuzzy creatures. Instead, they got a horror film that held back its punches. Could Blum's comments mean that the sequel will pursue an R rating? Fans can only hope.

Source: CBR