A few hours ago, I watched the Five Nights at Freddy’s film with my father and brother. And I loved it.
Of course, there might be some bias, but of course there would be. I’ve been waiting for 8 and a half gosh darn years for it to finally come out.
I mean, I wasn’t actively waiting, but I’m pretty sure I found out about it back in April of 2015, when it was picked up by Warner Bros., and it was originally supposed to be directed by Gil Kenan, and all that jazz.
Since then, the film’s script had been scrapped many a times (at least I think so) by the creator of the franchise, Scott Cawthon himself. He didn’t want to disappoint his fans. And that warms my heart.
I remember reading articles upon articles on the film, just like nearly every other entry to the series, up until a certain point.
I even remember Scott’s April Fools post where he shared the plot of a Five Nights at Freddy’s parody of the Terminator, which I get the feeling was back in 2017… maybe?
Anyways, I’m seriously glad that it’s finally here and it didn’t disappoint.
From this point onwards, this post will contain some spoilers for the film, so read at your own peril…
Okay, let us begin:
#1 Abby Schmidt
One huge thing that struck me was the fact that in this… film universe… Mike Schmidt, the protagonist of the first Five Nights at Freddy’s game — but also the protagonist of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th games too, according to a pretty sound theory I came across a while back — has a younger sister… and her name is Abby!
And I love that so, so much!
It sorta makes me feel closer connected to the franchise, in a sense. It’s an honour, although it doesn’t exactly have anything to do with me.
This is one of the first signs that this film might not exactly belong in the same canon universe as the video games, just like the novels belonged to a separate one.
#2 BB’s First Jumpscare!
Based on what I remember, Balloon Boy has never had a jumpscare, at least not in the main series of… visual… digital entries to the series?
I mean, there might have been a jumpscare in one of the books, or the graphic novels, or the Five Nights at Freddy’s AR: Special Delivery mobile game…
But in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2? Nah.
Ultimate Custom Night? Nope.
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted? Didn’t think so.
And are there any other main series games that I can think of? Of course not.
I mean, I might have missed something out, but the only jumpscares that one could count as belonging to BB would be Phantom BB’s jumpscares in FNaF 3, UCN, and HW, and Nightmare BB’s in FNaF 4, UCN, and HW.
In my eyes, those jumpscares belong to its variants. Not the original BB. Yes, you could call BB appearing out of nowhere in your office and laughing at you a jumpscare, but I for sure wouldn’t.
In this film, we not only get one, or two… but THREE Balloon Boy jumpscares! And it brings a smile to my face.
These jumpscares show characters actually getting scared by the BB figurine. Yes, it’s a figurine, not an animatronic, but this figurine is the only thing representing BB in the whole film, unless I’m mistaken.
#3 It’s Steve!
Look, I don’t remember Steve’s surname… I think it was about 6 letters long… started with W… ended with Lin? …Waglin? Lemme check…
Steve Raglan!
Steve is Mike’s Career Counselor in this film, but wait, there’s more.
Steve is also… the one and only… William Afton!
Look, when we first met Steve, one of the first thoughts that came to mind was: He’s William Afton, isn’t he?
Why? Because of the way in which he kept bringing up the idea that Mike should work there. He was like: Oh, I understand, but you should give it a shot anyway! And he was so positive about it. I just can’t exactly explain myself completely, but I just knew.
This had also happened at other points in the film, I think. At least one… or maybe not… I’ll mention it in a moment.
What I’m getting at is: I’m not sure if I should feel proud that I’ve seemingly predicted something, or if it’s something that’s supposed to be obvious to everybody, to make them feel good about themselves.
I don’t know… whatever. Moving on!
#4 Vanessa Is Here!
What does that mean? That the film is completely different from the games, or at least this is another sign pointing towards that being the case.
Vanessa was a character introduced in Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted. She’s the protagonist. We discover that we’re playing as her at the end of the Curse of Dreadbear DLC, if I recall correctly.
She later returns as what seems to possibly be the main antagonist in Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach.
In the game universe, she’s this “unwilling follower”? I’m sure the second word is follower, but what was the first word…?
The Reluctant Follower!
I just had to check… thanks Internet.
She tells us that her name is Vanessa Shelly. Which is kinda interesting. Anyways, back to the game universe.
Vanessa falls under the control of William Afton through the virtual reality game we get to play in Help Wanted. I think that sounds about right, correct me if I’m wrong.
And we even get to read a series of messages in the code of… something… relating to FNaF AR: Special Delivery. Or were those some sort of teasers? It’s been a long time, excuse my brain.
In the video games, she doesn’t- actually… hmm… maybe, she might be related to William Afton in the game universe. I have stayed away from FNaF theory videos for quite some time.
Why? Because I hadn’t read any of the FNaF short story books that had started coming out after the novel trilogy ended.
So… she might be related, but I wouldn’t exactly know. I mean, I could theorise about it, but I haven’t exactly done that much theorising before when it comes to FNaF.
Vanessa is the daughter of William Afton!
…there. I went ahead and said it! (typed it actually)
I had a suspicion that was the case at one point, I’m pretty sure it was when Mike started asking how she knew so much about the place.
In the film, Vanessa is related to William — Vanessa Afton, unless she chose her mother’s surname… or married someone… — while Mike isn’t, while in the games it’s the other way around.
Mike Schmidt is actually Michael Afton.
…and so is Jeremy Fitzgerald, possibly Fritz Smith, the FNaF 3 Guard, the FNaF 4 Protagonist, “Eggs Benedict”, and the FNaF 6 / FFPS Protagonist… according to theories.
So… Vanessa Shelly is Vanessa Afton’s alias, just like Mike Schmidt was Michael Afton’s alias, just like…
#5 Steve Raglan Was William Afton’s Alias!
…in the film, at least. It’s cool to see him use a different one to the one I remember him using in Five Nights at Freddy’s: The Silver Eyes, in other words, the first novel.
In that novel, William Afton went by Dave Miller. Just thought I’d throw this out there…
Also, in the books, William already moon-crescent-shaped scars all over his body from a previous springlock failure, which he survived, while in this film he didn’t seem to have any… which is sorta related to this scene at the end of the first novel…
#6 …Which is Really, Really Similar to a Scene at the End of This Film…
At the end of the first novel, William is holding our protagonist, Charlie, by the throat (I think it was), and she triggers the springlocks in William’s Spring Bonnie suit. And he “dies”. You know, gets taken away by Freddy and the gang, while Charlie and her friend’s officer father Clay, I think it was… not sure… takes them out of the pizzeria after breaking in through a wall…
It’s been nearly 8 years since I’ve read the novel, please excuse my mistakes. (Not that I should be admitting to that, since it is one of my favourite books of all time, if not the favourite.)
#7 There’s Also This Other Scene…
At the start of the first novel, Charlie is hiding behind arcade cabinets, while Foxy is looking for her. He starts throwing these cabinets left and right, looking for her.
And a part of me expected that to happen, but also hoped it wouldn’t, when Abby was hiding behind an arcade cabinet, and, once again, Foxy was looking for her.
Sorta glad that didn’t happen. Makes it all the more unique and different.
#8 Cameos!!!
Okay, I must admit, I accidentally saw a thumbnail or clip where MatPat supposedly was… present in the film.
Now, I don’t have anything against that being the case. I love the guy. Not in that sense. He is an amazing person though.
It’s more about the spoilers. I would have rather been surprised by his appearance. But I loved it nevertheless.
It was great. The whole “breakfast isn’t actually the most important meal of the day, it’s lunch” and “it’s just a theory!” but I think “but that’s just a theory!” fits more, I’m just kinda unsure 0f what it was.
I’m really glad that MatPat finally got an appearance.
Dawko appeared in Youtooz Presents: Five Nights at Freddy’s, and possibly in other entries…
Markiplier appeared in the Five Nights at Freddy’s AR: Special Delivery trailer…
And apart from MatPat, CoryxKenshin was also in the film… though I haven’t really watched any of his videos yet, and first found out who he was through the Ultimate Custom Night trailer, in which his reactions to the game were featured.
I also just found out that Baz, 8-BitRyan, Dawko, Razzbowski, and FusionZGamer were also included in the film in the form of easter eggs, more specifically, on an Employee of the Month wall? Hmm… I hadn’t noticed it. Or maybe did, but didn’t really at the same time… cool.
If I’m being honest, going on I expected 8-BitRyan, Markiplier, and MatPat (after seeing the clip) to be present in the film.
Markiplier couldn’t make an appearance since he was/is busy filming his own film, Iron Lung.
I’ve watched so many videos belonging to those five YouTubers in the past (the ones included on the wall), and had been subscribed to them all for many years, at different points in time. Still am to a few. And I’m so proud of them, to have been featured in an entry to the franchise. The first film itself. Awesome.
I’m still subscribed to Markiplier and MatPat, of course. Not that it’s some badge of honour, but I might as well treat it as one. Showing my appreciation for the content all of these creators have produced over the years and still continue to produce.
There is so much I could write about, and I might return to this topic at some point.
I’ll definitely buy the film when it’s released in stores in a few months time, presumably.
Anyways, thank you so much for reading.
If you’ve noticed any mistakes, then feel free to point them out in the comments.
If there’s anything you’d like to share, then once again feel free to do so in the comments.
Ooh! Ooh! I also loved the fact that the actor who played Shaggy in a live action film, Matthew Lillard, was present in this film, and got to play the villain, William Afton himself.
Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Another thing! So, it’s already past midnight, but… I watched the Five Nights at Freddy’s film on the anniversary of the release of FNaF World: Halloween Edition! It came out exactly 8 years (and a day) ago!
Ooh! Another thing, yet again! Josh Hutcherson, who played Peeta Mellark in the Hunger Games, played Mike Schmidt! So many talented individuals were involved in the production of this film! Gosh!
I hope you learned something new, and if you knew all of this already, then great! That’s awesome!
And no matter whether or not you knew any of this, you’re still awesome!
Have a lovely day.
– Abby
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