Five Nights at Freddy's 2 (a.k.a. FNAF 2) has been announced for release after the success of the first film.
The first FNAF movie came to theaters in October 2023 on the back of a charming cast led by Josh Hutcherson and Matthew Lillard (read more about the FNAF cast here), bringing to life the beloved terrifying world of the FNAF video games.
This unique take on the horror genre sees a security guard going up against haunted Chucky E. Cheese-style animatronics as he spends his nights working at a local arcade/pizzeria.
When Will FNAF 2 Release?
Shortly after the release of Five Nights at Freddy's, a sequel was announced by Universal.
The FNAF 2 movie is set to be released on December 5, 2025 (per Deadline).
One of its stars, Josh Hutcherson, who spoke about the sequel in a profile by Vanity Fair, shared that filming on the project should begin sometime this year.
A recent listing has the movie set to film starting in July (per Production List); however, that schedule has not been confirmed by Universal, Blumhouse, or any of the FNAF creative team.
[ FNAF 2 Movie Gets Exciting Update: When Will It Release? ]
Who's Cast in FNAF 2?
The only character confirmed to appear in FNAF 2 as a member of the sequel's cast is Josh Hutcherson as Mike Schmidt.
Seeing as Hutcherson has commented on production starting and his excitement for the movie, one would assume his down-on-his-luck security guard will return for more terrifying fun in the sequel.
Joining Hutcherson will also likely be Piper Rubio as Abby (Mike's younger sister who gets tied up in the serial killer plot in FNAF), Elizabeth Lail as Vanessa (a local police officer who helps Mike and Abby), and Matthew Lillard as the series' iconic killer Steve Raglan/William Afton.
Of course, while not brought to life by specific actors, the series' fan-favorite haunted animatronics will be back as well.
This will include all of Freddy Fazbear's band, namely Freddy, Chica, Bonnie, Foxy, and Golden Freddy.
Below is a full list of characters expected to return in FNAF 2:
- Josh Hutcherson - Mike Schmidt
- Piper Rubio - Abby
- Elizabeth Lail - Vanessa
- Matthew Lillard - Steve Raglan / William Afton
- Freddy Fazbear
- Chica
- Bonnie
- Foxy
- Golden Freddy
There has been mention of new characters coming to the sequel as well. In an April 2024 X (formerly Twitter) post, Blumhouse Productions CEO Jason Blum shared an update on the animatronic cast coming to the film, teasing Mangle and Toy Bonnie.
What Will Happen in FNAF 2?
While Matthew Lillard's William Afton was presumably dead at the end of the first FNAF film, that does not mean his reign of terror is done.
The series has been no stranger to more supernatural elements, so bringing back the villain from the first movie will almost surely happen.
According to reports, the sequel will be inspired by/based on the second game in the highly successful video game franchise.
Both Mangle and Toy Bonnie first appeared in the video game sequel, also bringing in Toy versions of Freddy, Chica, and Foxy as well.
This means fans could also see iconic franchise villains like Puppet and Balloon Boy make their big-screen debuts, as they too are big parts of Five Nights at Freddy's 2.
The FNAF 2 movie will likely take these elements from the second game in the series, pitting Josh Hutcherson's Mike Schmidt against yet another round of haunted animatronics.
It could also dive deeper into Mike's family history. In the games, it was revealed William Afton (played by Matthew Lillard in the movies) is Mike's father.
That does not seem to be the case in the movie, but exploring Mike's parentage could be somewhere the sequel could go.
FNAF 2 is set to come to theaters on December 5, 2025.
Read more about FNAF below:
FNAF Movie Makes 4 Key Changes to Vanessa from the Game
FNAF Movie Makes 3 Key Changes to Golden Freddy from the Game
FNAF Movie Director Confirms What Fans Suspected About Mike's True Identity
