Five Nights at Freddy's Movie Soars at the Box Office Despite Critical Backlash

Highlights

Despite negative reviews from critics, the Five Nights at Freddy's movie is a big hit with audiences, earning an estimated $78 million in its opening weekend.

Fans have eagerly awaited the film adaptation of the beloved horror game series for almost ten years, and it has unquestionably exceeded their hopes. The remarkable box office success of the Five Nights at Freddy's movie may pave the way for upcoming sequels and adaptations of other video games within the franchise.

The Five Nights at Freddy's movie has been a hit among audiences, but has received negative reviews from critics. It took nearly ten years to bring the film adaptation of the popular horror game series to fruition, with discussions starting as early as 2015. Despite this lengthy wait, fans of the game series have flocked to theaters to watch the Five Nights at Freddy's movie and have found it to be worth it. The film features actors Josh Hutcherson and Matthew Lillard and tells the story of a security guard working at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, a restaurant similar to Chuck E. Cheese, which is haunted by dangerous animatronics. While the Five Nights at Freddy's video games have not received the highest praise from game critics, they have still achieved great success. The film adaptation is now following suit and proving to be equally successful.

As reported by Deadline, the opening weekend of the Five Nights at Freddy's movie is projected to generate $78 million, surpassing its modest $20 million budget. If these predictions hold true, the film will establish new records for the largest Halloween opening and the highest-grossing horror movie debut in 2023. Moreover, it will secure Five Nights at Freddy's as the horror movie with the third-highest box office earnings during its opening weekend, trailing only behind the 2017 It remake and its sequel, It: Chapter Two.

Best Horror Movie Box Office Opening Weekends

It - $123 million

It: Chapter Two - $91 million

Five Nights at Freddy's - $78 million (estimated)

Halloween (2018) - $76 million

The Nun - $53 million

Paranormal Activity 3 - $52 million

A Quiet Place - $50 million

Halloween Kills - $49 million

A Quiet Place: Part 2 - $47 million

Scream 6 - $44 million

Five Nights at Freddy's Movie Review Scores

All of this success is in spite of Five Nights at Freddy's being released on Peacock on the same day as its theatrical premiere, and despite the movie receiving predominantly negative reviews from critics. The reviews for Five Nights at Freddy's have been largely negative, resulting in the film obtaining a 25% rating on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. However, the audience response to the Five Nights at Freddy's movie has been significantly more positive, with it currently holding an 89% rating at the time of writing.

Will There Be a Five Nights at Freddy's Movie Sequel?

The Five Nights at Freddy's movie is expected to earn $78 million at the box office on its opening weekend. Even if it falls short of this prediction, it will still be considered one of the most successful horror movies ever made. Matthew Lillard has already confirmed his involvement in at least three sequels, and there have been suggestions that if the first film is successful, adaptations of the other video games in the franchise could follow. With the movie's impressive box office performance, it is likely that the sequels will be announced in the near future.