Don’t Start Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 Without Knowing This

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is finally here, so if you're headed into the dark with a bucket of popcorn and questionable life choices, here's the quick briefing. This is the sequel to the 2023 hit, directed again by Emma Tammi, with Josh Hutcherson back as Mike Schmidt. It's based on Scott Cawthon's mega-popular game series, and it's a Universal Pictures/Blumhouse joint. Short version: it's now playing in U.S. theaters.

What to know before you go

• Expect a lot of jump scares. ComingSoon's reviewer Jonathan Sim points out that a good portion of the movie is devoted to the pop-out-and-scream variety. If you've played the games, that tracks. Be ready for animatronics to get in your face.
• But don't expect it to be truly terrifying. Like the first movie, Sim also notes it isn't especially disturbing or nightmare fuel. Think funhouse more than trauma.
• Matthew Lillard, who plays William Afton, backs that up and says they leaned harder into what fans expect from the game. He also teased that the set pieces are bigger this time and the animatronics are basically co-stars.
• Tempering expectations: Lillard says he's not in a ton of this one. The reason? They have plans for a third movie. If that happens, he says his character would take center stage for a final face-off on the scale of Harry vs. Voldemort or Luke vs. Vader.
• Translation: watch for breadcrumbs. If they're aiming at a trilogy, there are probably Easter eggs in here pointing at where part three could go.

"This film has a lot more jump scares... it speaks more to what the game is. I think that people will really appreciate that."

That quote comes from Lillard in an interview with ComingSoon, where he also hinted at those larger set pieces and how heavily the animatronics are woven into the action. In other words, the movie knows why you're here and delivers on that lane, even if it isn't trying to scar you for life.

So, the bottom line: Freddy's 2 sticks closer to the gamey thrills, keeps the scares digestible, and quietly sets the table for a potential third round. If you're going, go for the jolts, the machines, and the tease of what's next.