The lead character in Blumhouse's Five Nights at Freddy's (FNAF), Josh Hutcherson's Mike Schmidt, is a bit different from his video game counterpart.
As the first in seemingly more movies to come in the horror game-to-screen franchise, FNAF naturally covered most of the events of the first game with a few changes. This includes following the POV of Mike Schmidt, the security guard who gamers originally took control of in 2014.
While the character retained most of his defining traits when jumping to the big screen, there are a few key differences that notably change how the movie adapts to the extensive Five Nights at Freddy's lore.
Differences Between FNAF's Mike Schmidt: Games vs. Movie
William Afton Relation
Perhaps Mike Schmidt's most defining characteristic in the FNAF games is his relation to the main antagonist, Wiliam Afton, as he is his younger son. In the movies (at least, for now), there is no familial connection between Hutcheron's character and Matthew Lilliard's serial killer.
In the now box office success for Blumhouse, Mike has his own, separate set of parents; yet, they still suffer tragic fates. After his younger brother is abducted, Mike's mom passes away and his father becomes absent, leaving just him and his younger sister, Abby, on their own.
Becoming a Freddy Fazbear's Security Guard
Down on his luck and needing stability to keep custody of his baby sister, Mike Schmidt takes the security job gig at Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria. In the games, Mike's reasons for taking the job are a bit more mundane.
In FNAF 1, the character simply wants to eat free pizza on the clock. However, YouTuber MatPat, who cameos in the film, theorized that Mike (who, remember, is William Afton's son in the games) takes the job in an attempt to track down his estranged father.
Brothers & Sisters
Another big familial difference between the FNAF games and the movie is Mike's brother(s)/sister(s).
In the games, Mike Schmidt (or, really, Mike Afton) has two siblings: a younger sister named Elizabeth Afton (who later possesses Sister Location's Circus Baby) and a still-unidentified brother who remains unnamed.
The FNAF movie sees Mike having a younger sister, Abby, and his abducted younger brother, Garrett. Whether Abby is meant as a standee for Elizabeth remains to be seen.
Leaving Freddy's Behind
Ultimately, Mike doesn't overstay at Freddy's (it is called Five Nights, after all).
In the games, Mike is fired for supposedly tampering with the animatronics.
Alternatively, in the movie, Mike walks out of Freddy's with Abby after William Afton succumbs to the spring locks of his suit and falls before his victims.
With more movies reportedly in development, this isn't to say Mike won't return to Freddy's. The video games following FNAF 1 see different locations being opened and discovered, so there are certainly more opportunities (and animatronics) for Mike and Abby to face.
What's Next for Mike Schmidt in FNAF Movies?
Considering both the changes above and the massive amount of FNAF lore that hasn't been touched on in the movies, there are plenty of arcs Josh Hutcheron's ex-security guard could follow.
Jumping to the video game timeline, FNAF 2 is a prequel to the first game. It has been said that subsequent movies would follow the games (i.e., FNAF 2 for a sequel movie, FNAF 3 for a threequel).
Still, the movies may opt to change this up rather than confuse audiences with a backward time jump.
Mike Schmidt could find out about another Freddy Fazbear location that's also experiencing some animatronic issues. He might even run into a fellow security guard; in the FNAF 2 video game, it's a man named Jeremy Fitzgerald who survives the five nights. Could a FNAF movie sequel see a buddy-cop dynamic?
Otherwise, Hutcherson's character will likely continue to seek answers and vengeance for his younger brother, Garrett. Fans still don't know which animatronic Garrett may potentially possess, but considering the melody of a music box from Five Nights at Freddy's 2 can be heard in the credits, most fan theories are turning toward the infamous Puppet making an appearance.
Five Nights at Freddy's is now playing in theaters and streaming on Peacock.
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