Brought to the big screens by Universal and Blumhouse, global video game phenomenon “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” or “FNAF,” made its international debut Friday, Oct. 27. Beloved characters, such as Freddy Fazbear, Bonnie, Chica, Foxy and more took to the big screen alongside the main protagonist and famed actor, Josh Hutcherson, in this adaptation of the “FNAF” franchise.
The movie delves into the life of Mike, played by Hutcherson, a young man haunted by the disappearance of his younger brother close to a decade before the movie is set. He has custody of his 10-year-old sister, Abby, played by Piper Rubio, and is desperately on the lookout for a new job after being fired from his last position.
While on the lookout, he finds a job at a local abandoned pizzeria, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, as a night security guard. However, he soon finds out that the animatronics, in fact, do get a bit quirky at night. With the help of local police officer Vanessa, played by Elizabeth Lail, the nights following spiral into supernatural encounters with these animatronics and deeper and deeper into the lore of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria.
The movie’s budget of just $20 million allowed for an incredibly detailed lineup of the four main animatronics — Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy — created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop in Burbank, California, while simultaneously keeping a relatively low production cost. The film, co-written by creator Scott Cawthon, opened to $80 million domestically and $52.6 million internationally.
With so much anticipation that had built up to the release of the movie, experienced movie-raters flooded the polls, with Rotten Tomatoes rating the movie a whopping 28%, while Letterboxd has the movie ranked at 2.6/5 stars. However, veteran players of the original “Five Night’s at Freddy’s” series have been seen storming theaters across the country, dressed as their favorite characters from the games, and enjoying the movie far more than professional movie critics.
“I [would’ve] rather seen a one-to-one adaptation of the video games,” said Sydney Logan, a junior management information systems, or MIS, major. “I still enjoy[ed] the movie.”
The young adults who have been playing “FNAF” since its release in August 2014 fell in love with the game when their favorite YouTubers played the game and can recount the good memories and comfort they received from watching these videos. YouTubers like Markiplier and Jacksepticeye were some of the main streamers of the original series, to name a few.
“As a long-time fan, I had lots of fun noticing all of the Easter eggs hidden or in plain sight,” said Sicilia Reed, a senior mass communications major. “This series has meant a lot to me, from watching YouTubers play the games or discuss the lore to talking about it with my best friend to seeing or listening to the art and music that has brought so much creativity and inspiration to me.”
In its international debut, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” has sparked both excitement and debate among fans and critics. However, despite varying opinions, the film’s detail and attention to the game’s lore resonated deeply with long-term fans and patrons of the game.