From the very first trailer drop of the horror film adaptation of Five Nights at Freddy’s, it was clear that it was able to keep the spirit of the original video games. For those who have not played the games, Five Nights at Freddy’s is about a night security guard who has to survive five nights at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria and protect himself from haunted animatronics that want to kill them. Knowing the success that M3GAN had with its murderous children’s robot story, it’s evident that this horror studio adaption has a large and eager audience.
Five Nights at Freddy’s was originally planned to be a Warner Bros. production, but the studio gave the film rights to Blumhouse in 2017 due to disagreements that the franchise’s creator Scott Cawthon had during pre-production. Blumhouse seems to be aware of the popularity this franchise has received, and it managed to get an all-star cast that fans may recognize.
For those on the edge of their seats and looking for more info about this upcoming film, here is who will star in Five Nights at Freddy’s and the roles they’re playing in this highly anticipated film adaptation.
Mike Schmidt: Josh Hutcherson
You might recognize Josh Hutcherson from The Hunger Games movie, but in this film, he takes on a completely different role. He plays Mike Schmidt, the night security guard who was first introduced in the 2014 Five Nights At Freddy’s. Before his Hunger Games debut, Hutcherson starred in other huge titles such as The Polar Express, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Zathura: A Space Adventure. He also did some official English voice acting roles in Howl’s Moving Castle as Markl, and Ultraman as Shinjiro Hayata.
It will be interesting to see how Hutcherson plays this iconic night security guard, especially since a popular fan theory about this character is that he’s the son of the film’s main antagonist. Will Hutcherson survive five nights in this haunted pizza restaurant? Or will he succumb to the punishments of these murderous animatronics?
William Afton: Matthew Lillard
Matthew Lillard is back. But rather than playing a protagonist in a popular horror franchise, he’s going to be the villain of the story, known as William Afton. Most people would know Lillard for his role as Shaggy in the Scooby-Doo franchise since 2002, but he also had an uncredited role in 2022’s Scream (and a crucial role in the original film), a major role in the NBC series Good Girls as Dean Boland, and had some minor appearances in other shows like American Dad!, Teen Titans Go!, and Disney’s The Replacements.
Lillard will be playing William Afton, the creator of the Freddy Fazbear franchise, and dubbed as “the purple guy” by video game aficionados. In the games, this man was responsible for “the missing children’s incident,” where five children were murdered inside the pizza restaurant, which led to it being shut down. How will Lillard embody this murderous psychopath? Only time will tell.
Vanessa: Elizabeth Lail
Someone who was introduced in the later games, but will be making an appearance in the film’s first installment is Vanessa. She was first introduced in FNAF: Help Wanted, which was released in 2019. She was originally a beta tester for the “Freddy Fazbear Virtual Experience,” but was later hired to become a night security guard for a new Freddy’s restaurant called, Freddy Fazbear’s Mega Pizzaplex. She is also a follower of Glitchtrap, a digital virus she encountered during her beta tester days, and is now brainwashed by it.
Knowing how late Vanessa was introduced in the game’s franchise, it will be interesting to see how she plays a role in the first film, especially since there was speculation that she wasn’t born during the events of the first film.
Vanessa will be played by Elizabeth Lail, known for her role as Guinevere Beck in You, Princess Anna in ABC’s Once Upon a Time, and Lola Morgan in HBO Max’s Gossip Girl.
Freddy Fazbear: Kevin Foster
You might not know who Kevin Foster is, but he’s known for his stunts for a handful of Marvel projects, such as WandaVision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and X-Men: First Class. He also received minor roles in huge titles like Iron Man, Castle, and Jurassic World.
This notable stuntman will be playing Freddy Fazbear, the leader of the Freddy Fazbear pizzeria animatronics. Normally, he’s the lead singer and the face of the franchise. As new Freddy Fazbear franchises pop up, this singing robot bear receives a new look in each installment.
Bonnie: Jade Kindar-Martin
Another animatronic that has a confirmed actor is Bonnie, played by Jade Kindar-Martin. Just like Foster, Kindar-Martin is mostly known for his stunt work. He has worked for a handful of titles, such as Your Honor, The Purge, and Looking For Alaska. In Five Nights at Freddy’s, he plays Bonnie, a bunny animatronic who was part of the original lineup as the group’s guitarist. And just like Freddy, Bonnie would receive a new look as each new franchise pops up, but is suddenly gone during the events of FNAF: Security Breach.
Chica: Jess Weiss
Lastly, there is Chica, played by Jess Weiss. Weiss is a newcomer in the acting industry, and Chica is her first acting role. Prior to her FNAF debut, she was a crew member for other titles like 65, Larry King Live, and State of the Union with John King, just to name a few. She also had one experience with stunts in the show Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, and will be doing a bit more stunt work in two future projects.
Her character, Chica, is a chicken animatronic and is part of the original lineup. Her first model has her holding a cupcake with eyes and wearing a bib with the words “Let’s Eat.” Chica’s gluttonous personality would be further emphasized in later games, where the robot would be seen eating trash. It will be interesting to see what Chica is like in the live-action film since the character wasn’t seen as much in the first official teaser.
These are the major characters for the upcoming Five Nights at Freddy’s movie. The film will not only have an adult cast, but it will also include a handful of child actors, possibly those who are said to be the spirits of the dead children. Blumhouse has done an amazing job with its casting choices, allowing some recognizable names to work alongside some newcomers in this horror video game franchise.
If you want to see these animatronics come to life in the real world, Five Nights at Freddy’s will be released in theaters and on Peacock on October 27, 2023.
