It’s time to return to Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza because “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is back at the box office.
Universal and Blumhouse’s PG-13 horror sequel “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” has made $7.2 million in Thursday previews at the box office. It’s projected to make between $35 million and $40 million in its opening this weekend.
In comparison, the original 2023 movie, based on the popular horror video game series of the same name, had $10.3 million in previews on its way to a scary good $80 million launch. That far exceeded expectations for the film, especially considering it simultaneously launched on the Peacock streaming service. That being said, expectations for “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” are lower considering the original’s shocking success — it went down as Blumhouse’s highest grossing movie of all time with nearly $300 million globally. The sequel still has a tidy budget of $36 million, compared to the first movie’s $20 million cost, so it should be able to stick around in theaters during the holidays and turn a profit.
Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard, Elizabeth Lail and Piper Rubio are back for more animatronic scares at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, where the robotic mascots turn into creepy killers at night. Director Emma Tammi and writer and video game series creator Scott Cawthon both returned for the sequel, which features newcomers McKenna Grace, Teo Briones, Freddy Carter and more.
However, last week’s Thanksgiving winner “Zootopia 2” will triumph once again at the box office, where it’s expected to bring in $44 million to $50 million, a 50-55% decline from its $98 million debut. Universal’s “Wicked: For Good” is on track for $21 million to $25 million to land in third place in its third weekend.
Fellow box office newcomers include“Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution,” which is projected to earn $8 million to $10 million; Quentin Tarantino’s super-sized “Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair,” expected to make $5 million to $10 million; plus a filmed version of Broadway’s “Merrily We Roll Along” and the British comedy “Fackham Hall,” both expected to make around $3 million.
