Matthew Lillard's Return to Horror and Future with Blumhouse

Matthew Lillard's Experience with Blumhouse

After making his long-awaited return to the horror genre, Five Nights at Freddy's' Matthew Lillard is ready to work for Blumhouse for the rest of his career. The groundbreaking indie studio spent five years putting together the adaptation of Scott Cawthon's horror video game franchise of the same name centering on a night security guard at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza trying to survive from the terrifying possessed animatronics in the restaurant. Led by Josh Hutcherson, Lillard, Elizabeth Lail and Piper Rubio, the movie garnered generally negative reviews from critics, but was a box office smash, becoming Blumhouse's highest-grossing movie to date.

Matthew Lillard as Steve Raglan on the Phone in Five Nights at Freddy's

While speaking with Screen Rant for Five Nights at Freddy's' home media release, Lillard opened up about working with Blumhouse on the video game adaptation. In addition to praising the studio's history, the actor expressed his hopes to keep working with them on future projects, particularly within the horror genre, feeling it speaks 'to the actor I am.'

Matthew Lillard looking over his shoulder in Scream

Yeah. I'm not going to lie to you. A buddy of mine said, 'I'm having Jason Blum over for a dinner party. You want to come by?' And I said, 'Yes.' It was after I'd shot the movie before I met him, and I went up to him and I said, 'I'm not going to lie to you. One of the reasons I took this movie is to be in your wheelhouse.' I love horror movies. I think horror movies, for me, speak to the actor I am. I mean, there's really high stakes, people are running for their lives. I think that's a world in which I operate well in. And I know from my fans at conventions that they like me in horror movies.

Spring Bonnie holds up a knife in the Five Nights at Freddy's movie.

So I've been looking for an opportunity to get back in to the horror genre, and I couldn't be happier being in business with Blum and Blumhouse. What they're doing is incredible... I said this to him last week, I would spend the rest of my career working in his space because I think he's a good dude. I think the stuff he makes is the world I want to live in, and I can do well at, and I'm hoping to be around for a long time.

Spring Bonnie walks through an archway in Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.

How Lillard Can Become A Blumhouse Regular

Lillard's return to the horror genre was not only an enticing one for fans of the star, but also for co-writer/director Emma Tammi herself, who previously hyped his Five Nights at Freddy's performance to Screen Rant as being 'brilliant' as he brought 'such joy and menacing fear' to the role. Though his role as franchise villain William Afton was intended to be a big twist within the movie, Tammi and Lillard had seemingly spilled the beans before its release, with the latter even confirming having a three-movie deal in place. Additionally, with the first casting report citing him as Afton, subsequent reports couldn't stop longtime Freddy's fans from theorizing on the eventual reveal.

William Afton is Crushed By his Springlock Suit in the Five Nights at Freddy’s Movie

While Five Nights at Freddy's 2 has yet to be greenlit, Lillard's desire to continue working with Blumhouse on future projects does prove exciting for his future in the horror genre. The studio has often found itself reteaming with a variety of creatives, namely that of James Wan, whose Atomic Monster banner is currently in talks to merge with Blumhouse, as well as Sinister and Black Phone co-writer/director Scott Derrickson and Insidious co-creator Leigh Whannell. The latter was recently confirmed to be returning to the studio's Wolf Man reboot, with Christopher Abbott taking over the leading role from Ryan Gosling, though the Barbie star will remain an executive producer and pitched its original story.

Many of these creatives have brought their frequent collaborators with them for their projects, including Ethan Hawke, Insidious' Lin Shaye and Fantasy Island's Lucy Hale. Lillard, on the other hand, could make his post-Five Nights at Freddy's Blumhouse tenure a unique one by branching out to work with other filmmakers within his wheelhouse. His desire to specifically continue his horror genre work could also open the door for a variety of unique roles, including the more villainous Afton, or red herring characters as filmmakers utilize his eccentric personality to keep audiences guessing.