Is Five Nights At Freddy's 2 Moving Too Fast?

The Success and Development of Five Nights at Freddy's 2

Following the first movie's record-breaking success, Josh Hutcherson has seemingly confirmed the Five Nights at Freddy's 2 filming start window. The movie will serve as a sequel to the 2023 adaptation of Scott Cawthon's horror video game franchise of the same name, with Hutcherson having played a security guard at the run-down Freddy Fazbear's who learns of a dark secret behind the animatronics that reside there. Talks of a sequel were swirling before the movie's release, and with it becoming Blumhouse's highest-grossing movie worldwide, it seemed inevitable the studio would move forward quickly.

Bonnie, Freddy and Chica from Five NIght's At Freddy's

During a recent interview with Vanity Fair for his role in the Jason Statham-led The Beekeeper, Hutcherson reflected on the success of the first Five Nights at Freddy's movie. Though not offering further details on the upcoming sequel, he seemingly confirmed that development on Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is further along than some might expect, as it 'should' start filming 'sometime this year.' This comes on the heels of Hutcherson's initial confirmation that the sequel was moving forward at all.

A menacing Freddy from Five Night's at Freddy's

Neither Blumhouse nor Universal have officially announced the movie's development as of the time of writing, though someone as close to the project as Hutcherson would have proper knowledge of how quickly the turnaround would be. However, while a quicker turnaround can lead to a sequel matching the financial success of its predecessor, it could also lead to fewer quality checks in the actual development of such key elements as a project's script.

Chica from Five NIght's at Freddy's

Given Blumhouse is also coming off of the critical and commercial disappointment of The Exorcist: Believer, even recently delaying the sequel following writer/director David Gordon Green's departure, it would make more sense for them to leave a little time to process what made the first movie work before moving forward with Five Nights at Freddy's 2. Franchises can only last so long solely on audience reactions before diminishing returns lead to even their alienation, as seen by the likes of the Transformers franchise and both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe.

Freddy, Bonnie Chica, and Foxy from Five Night's At Freddy's

Concerns and Criticisms

While the sequel seemed all but guaranteed, Hutcherson's indication that Five Nights at Freddy's 2 could begin filming this year may actually prove troublesome. Though a financial success, the first movie was not a hit with critics, garnering a largely negative 32% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes as reviews lamented its pacing and overall lack of scares. Audiences were far more favorable in their response to the movie, namely for its faithfulness to its source material, but some shared critics' opinions that the movie didn't capture the same jumpscares of the games.

Freddy and Abby from Five Nights At Freddy's

Neither Blumhouse nor Universal have officially announced the movie's development as of the time of writing, though someone as close to the project as Hutcherson would have proper knowledge of how quickly the turnaround would be. However, while a quicker turnaround can lead to a sequel matching the financial success of its predecessor, it could also lead to fewer quality checks in the actual development of such key elements as a project's script. Considering the first Five Nights at Freddy's' generic plot was one of the biggest points of criticism for the movie, rushing through the writing process could lead to the creative team not learning key lessons.

Given Blumhouse is also coming off of the critical and commercial disappointment of The Exorcist: Believer, even recently delaying the sequel following writer/director David Gordon Green's departure, it would make more sense for them to leave a little time to process what made the first movie work before moving forward with Five Nights at Freddy's 2. Franchises can only last so long solely on audience reactions before diminishing returns lead to even their alienation, as seen by the likes of the Transformers franchise and both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe.

The Need for Strategic Planning

Is Five Nights At Freddy's 2 Moving Too Fast? While a quicker turnaround can lead to a sequel matching the financial success of its predecessor, it could also lead to fewer quality checks in the actual development of such key elements as a project's script. Considering the first Five Nights at Freddy's' generic plot was one of the biggest points of criticism for the movie, rushing through the writing process could lead to the creative team not learning key lessons.

Given Blumhouse is also coming off of the critical and commercial disappointment of The Exorcist: Believer, even recently delaying the sequel following writer/director David Gordon Green's departure, it would make more sense for them to leave a little time to process what made the first movie work before moving forward with Five Nights at Freddy's 2. Franchises can only last so long solely on audience reactions before diminishing returns lead to even their alienation, as seen by the likes of the Transformers franchise and both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe.

Neither Blumhouse nor Universal have officially announced the movie's development as of the time of writing, though someone as close to the project as Hutcherson would have proper knowledge of how quickly the turnaround would be. However, while a quicker turnaround can lead to a sequel matching the financial success of its predecessor, it could also lead to fewer quality checks in the actual development of such key elements as a project's script.