Five Nights at Freddy’s has grown a huge fan base since the 2014 release of the video game that started it all, but when it comes to the highly-anticipated movie adaptation, many fans were left with mixed opinions. One key criticism was that it lacked the scare-factor that FNAF enthusiasts had come to expect from the franchise. But according to Matthew Lillard —who helms the role of the flick’s main antagonist, William Afton — Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 will bring more thrills and chills than ever!
During a sit-down with MovieWeb, the Scooby-Doo actor, 55, praised FNAF creator Scott Cawthon and director Emma Tammi for doing a “great job” at world-building, establishing the characters, sharing lore, and setting the overall tone of the series with the first film, but after realizing that the audience had been hoping for more shocking moments, “bigger” sets, and “elements that incorporated gameplay,” they made some major changes in the sequel.
“To Scott [Cawthon] and Emma’s [Tammi] credit, they both listened, tuned in, and have built a movie that is much more akin to what you usually see in a horror movie: more jump scares, more action … you start to move gently into a more roller-coaster ride of exciting set pieces. And so that’s the biggest thing that stood out to me, first reading the new script.”
Matthew Lillard Praises ‘FNAF’ Fans’ Creativity
While delving into his chilling role as Fazbear Entertainment co-founder and child murderer William Afton, Lillard also got a peek into the FNAF fandom itself and the extensive mythology that has been crafted around the original story over the last decade.
“There’s a veracity to [the fans] that is unparalleled,” he told MovieWeb earlier this month. “What they have had to fill in, in terms of their story, their lore, the story you know, that they’ve told themselves, and you know, sort of their fan fiction … How they go about explaining the world is so rich and the community is so connected. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“People think about fans. They think about ‘Star Trek’ back in the day, and ‘Star Wars’, certainly ‘Harry Potter’. ‘Five Nights’ and their fans would rival any and all of the above.”
As for how he felt about being able to be a part of such a legendary franchise and bringing such a terrifying villain to life on the big screen, Lillard called his character “iconic,” and said that stepping into Afton’s shoes has been both “daunting” yet “really rewarding” so far.
“I’ve had great reception for the most part, in terms of my performance,” he added. “And hopefully that continues [in] the second movie.”
Alongside Lillard, Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games), Piper Rubio (For All Mankind), and Elizabeth Lail (Once Upon a Time), will also return for the sequel. Newcomers to the franchise include Skeet Ulrich (Scream), Teo Briones (Chucky), and Mckenna Grace (Annabelle Comes Home). Additionally, Megan Fox (Transformers) joins the cast as the voice of Toy Chica, YouTuber Matthew “MatPat” Patrick will play Toy Bonnie, and FNAF video game voice actor Kellen Goff is set to voice Toy Freddy.
Catch Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 in theaters on Dec. 5.
- Release Date
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December 5, 2025
- Director
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Emma Tammi
- Writers
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Scott Cawthon
- Prequel(s)
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Five Nights at Freddy’s
- Franchise(s)
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Five Nights at Freddy’s