'Fan-forward' Five Nights At Freddy's sequel is not gunning for awards

Film critics did not care much for Five Nights At Freddy’s.

- Alison de Souza

(From far left) Piper Rubio, Josh Hutcherson and Elizabeth Lail in Five Nights At Freddy's 2; and Lail and Hutcherson (below) at the film's premiere in Hollywood on Dec 2. PHOTOS: UIP, AFP

(PHOTOS: UIP, AFP)

Based on the cult video-game series of the same name, the 2023 supernatural horror movie was widely panned for its tale of animatronic animals at an old pizzeria coming to life and turning violent.

But fans ignored the scathing reviews and turned the film - which was packed with Easter eggs from the games – into the sleeper horror hit of the year, pulling in more than US$290 million (S$376 million) at box offices worldwide against a modest US$20 million budget.

And so with the sequel Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 - now showing in Singapore - the cast and filmmakers once again set out to craft a story with the loyal fan base in mind.

At the recent Los Angeles premiere, lead actor Josh Hutcherson, 33, also promises bigger and better scares, including from the creepy animatronic monsters that made the first film so distinctive.