Why Critics Can’t Stand Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 — And Why Fans Don’t Care

Freddy and the gang are back, and the knives are out — mostly from critics. Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is rolling into theaters with fans ready to scream, while reviewers are, uh, not kind. Here is where things stand, what people are actually saying, and whether a third movie is already looming in the vents.

The setup

Directed by Emma Tammi, Five Nights at Freddy's 2 opens nationwide on Friday and keeps the focus on the Fazbear nightmare factory — Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy. Josh Hutcherson returns as Mike, Elizabeth Lail is back as Vanessa, and Piper Rubio’s Abby once again finds her way into trouble that has been festering for decades. New faces this time: Theodus Crane, Matthew Lillard, Freddy Carter, Wayne Knight, Mckenna Grace, and Skeet Ulrich.

Critics vs. fans (round 2)

The Rotten Tomatoes score is a rough 14% from 43 reviews — which puts it among the worst-reviewed wide releases of the year — but that has not slowed down the fan excitement. If you liked the first movie for its vibe and lore, this one is very much pitched at you.

The review heat

Most of the backlash says the sequel repeats the first film’s issues: thin story, little suspense, choppy pacing, and plotting that strains basic coherence. There is also a recurring complaint that the movie keeps stuffing in game references and Easter eggs instead of building tension, losing the locked-in, claustrophobic feel that made the games tense.

• Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter: "The film's cast deserves credit, not so much for their performances as their ability to keep a straight face throughout."
• Owen Gleiberman, Variety, calls it "a supernatural video-game slasher movie of astonishing clunky crudeness... maybe even worse than the first film."
• Jacob Oller, AV Club, says it is "crushed to death by narrative add-ons, plot gimmicks, and heavy-duty incompetence," arguing the Easter-egg fixation breaks the tension.
• On the flip side, FandomWire praises its crowd-pleasing side as "one of the strongest PG-13 horror flicks recently," and Collider’s Aidan Kelly calls it a "solidly entertaining robot slasher."

What the director thinks

Tammi has read the reviews and is not rattled. Her take, via Dexerto, is basically: yes, the critiques exist — and no, this one was not made for critics.

"And, you know, I read a lot of those reviews and I understand a lot of their critique. I think, at the core, this movie wasn't for the critics. I think you've just got to be able to let it go."

That is the north star here: prioritize the fans who live for the lore and the animatronic mayhem.

So... is there going to be a Five Nights at Freddy's 3?

The short version: nothing official yet from Blumhouse, but the chatter is loud. Industry watcher Daniel Richtman says cameras could roll as early as mid-2026 (via The Direct). A 2027 release is being floated, and there is talk of growing the series beyond a tidy trilogy if audiences keep showing up.

Matthew Lillard and Jason Blum have both hinted the next sequel depends on how this one performs. At San Diego Comic-Con, Lillard teased:

"If it's a hit, they're gonna make a third movie, and if they make a third movie, I get to kill Mike Schmidt... It's going to be cinematic magic."

And Blum’s position is straightforward:

"If enough people go... we'd be very excited to make a Five Nights at Freddy's 3."

Bottom line

If you want careful plotting and elegant scares, the critics are telling you to look elsewhere. If you are here for the animatronics, the lore, and a PG-13 robot slasher that plays to the crowd, the second movie is unapologetically built for you, not the review roundup.

Where do you land — rolling your eyes with the critics or strapping in for more Fazbear chaos?

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 will hit streaming on major platforms after its theatrical run.