It’s been a long time coming, but the Five Nights at Freddy’s film is finally looming over us. Based on the iconic video game series, the haunted pizzeria and the animatronics housed within have been dominating nightmares of those brave enough to play it since 2014. The success of the original game has spawned an entire universe, filled with complex lore and a terrifying backstory. If you’re a newcomer to Freddy Fazbear’s, it’s a lot to unpack.
But, in celebration of Five Nights at Freddy’s hitting cinemas on October 26, we’ve teamed up with Universal Pictures to give you the rundown on the key things you need to know before spending the night at Freddy’s for the very first time.
The Robots Are Not What They Seem
Frankly, it’s scary enough to think that giant robots are coming after you. That’s enough to make you terrified of a tech-driven future for good. However, a key part of the story of Five Nights at Freddy’s is that those robots aren’t really just robots. They’re vessels for something far more sinister. We won’t go into it too much here — we have to save some scares for you — but there’s more to this once-standing pizzeria than meets the eye.
And that’s saying something because what meets the eye is already very, very creepy.
And, Yes, The Robots Have Names
There are four main animatronics that exist within Freddy Fazbear’s, and, yes, each of them has a name. There’s Bonnie the bunny, Chica the chicken, Foxy the Pirate Fox and Mr. Freddy Fazbear himself. All of them are strangely part adorable, part absolutely nightmare-inducing. They don’t have different personalities, per se, but all of them are set to have you on edge.
That being said, anyone who has played the original game will tell you that seeing Freddy himself appear by the door, just as the night is about to end and the sun’s about to rise, can make you feel like your heart has stopped beating.
The Animatronics Are Supposed To Be Walking Around
Now for those unseasoned by the goings on at Freddy’s, you might be mortified to learn that the animatronics are actually expected to be wandering around at night. This isn’t meant to be some supernatural secret no one knows about. In fact, protagonist Mike Schmidt (who is played by Josh Hutcherson in the film) is told this as he takes on the fateful security job.
Why are they walking around at night? It’s apparently due to their servomotors (or servos) locking up and failing if the animatronics are left turned off for too long. But if the trailer is anything to go by, it looks like there might be more to this story than meets the eye…
There’s A Key New Character In The Film
When playing Five Nights at Freddy’s in the solitude of your own home, the only real stake is whether Mike makes it through the night. But the stakes have been raised in the movie, and it’s going to make you fear Freddy far more than you could expect.
Meet Abby, played by Piper Rubio, who is… Mike’s little sister. Yep, while in the game it’s only Mike inside the restaurant, the movie sees Mike have to take Abby with him, who is meant to be sleeping soundly while Mike works. You were a kid once, so of course you know that Abby’s curiosity will get the better of her. You’ll have to head to cinemas from October 26 to see how that turns out for her, for Mike and, of course, for Freddy.
Be Ready for Jump Scares
If there’s anything you need to know about anything to do with Five Nights at Freddy’s, it’s that jump scares are inevitable. Don’t try to act tough through it. Don’t try to pretend it doesn’t happen. You will be jump scared. The game is all about avoiding animatronics appearing right in front of you after appearing not to move at all, so get ready for the adrenaline to run right through as you watch Mike peer through every camera and around every corner.
So, will you survive? Test your courage by seeing Five Nights at Freddy’s, only in cinemas from October 26.