Aliyah Williams
Editor-in-Chief
A large portion of the student body can remember being crammed into the back seat of the elementary school bus playing the game “Five Nights at Freddy’s” with their friends. Now, the popular video game is being transformed into a feature film, set to hit theaters on Oct. 27, 2023.
Starring Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail and Piper Rubio, the movie will bring to life the titular characters within a horror-filled plot. Other actors included in the casting are Mary Stuart Masterson and Kat Conner Sterling.
As the movie’s release date comes closer, it leaves much of the fan base extremely excited to watch the film.
Released on Aug. 8, 2014, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” took the country by storm. After finding intense popularity, the franchise grew with the creation of 12 more games and a graphic novel series.
The first game features four animatronics that “come to life” after hours. Players must successfully evade the four characters (Bonnie, Chica, Foxy, and Freddy Fazbear) by using a combination of cameras and door closing. Within the game, there are seven nights. Players have to beat all of the nights to win the game. As the nights progress, it gets more difficult and the animatronics attack even quicker.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s” film production began in February of 2023, after being delayed for almost two years because of script changes. Although shaped by the setbacks, the film will now be released just in time for Halloween!
To the surprise of some, the film comes with a PG-13 rating, for “strong violent content, bloody images and language,” according to the Classification and Ratings Administration.
Directed by Emma Tammi, the film was also produced by Scott Cawthon and Jason Blum, who brought the popular film “M3gan” to theaters on Jan. 6, 2023.
The official trailer begins with Hutcherson’s character, Mike, calling to see if a security position is still available at Freddy Fazbear’s. It then cuts to Mike bringing his little sister along to the job, with the stipulation that she sleeps while he works.
After a compilation of Mike beginning the job, a police officer comes and asks if he has “met them yet,” a question that causes confusion for Mike. After this scene, the animatronics in the commercial begin to come alive, followed by a compilation of murders, kidnappings and jump scares from the four original animatronics.
The first trailer induced heavy enthusiasm among those waiting for the film’s release, but it also brought in some criticisms.
Many fans were disappointed that the movie would not be “canon,” or directly related to the other timelines and events of the Five Nights at Freddy’s Universe.
But these worries appear to have dissipated with the excitement surrounding the film about a popular game from many people’s childhoods.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s” looks to be a promising and spooky film, perfect for the Halloween season. The PG-13 rating and near-Halloween release date make it a great movie to go and see with friends. Overall, it seems worth a try!