Five Nights At Freddy's Creator Made The Movie's Writers Start Again From Scratch
During an interview with Fandom over six years ago, Jason Blum was asked about the film adaptation of "Five Nights at Freddy's," and it's clear he knew what a Goliath he was up against. "That game has a rabid fan base and I would say, without Scott [Cawthon], it wouldn't make a good movie." It appears this sentiment has been long-lasting, as Blum continued, "But I think Scott has a very clear idea of what he wants the movie to be, and I think because we're using the same creator as the game in Scott, I think there'll be a great movie."
Blumhouse has had the rights to Scott Cawthon's ridiculously popular gaming franchise since 2017, but the road to the silver screen has been difficult. Chris Columbus ("Harry Potter," "Home Alone") was originally slated to direct but was replaced by Emma Tammi ("The Wind") after he exited the project. Then there was the controversy surrounding Cawthon's political donation history, leading to his decision to retire from the "FNAF" brand altogether. However, as the film was already in production, the film is the last "FNAF" project he's got to see through to the end.
"I really love a challenge," Blum told IGN. "Everyone said we could never get the movie done, including, by the way, internally in my company." He continued, "I was made fun of for pursuing this, this thing that could never happen, and that always lights a fire under me to say, 'I bet I can do this.'"
With "Five Nights at Freddy's" just a few months away, we'll soon discover if the challenge — which included an entirely new script — was overcome.
Determined to find the right story
The premise of original "Five Nights at Freddy's" game is relatively simple, with players taking on the role of a night guard at the famed pizzeria and watching security cameras to try and quell any dangerous activity from possessed animatronics. By putting the player in the proverbial driver's seat to the activity, big scares and tension are built by the player's direct engagement with frightening situations. As scary as horror movies can be, there's a safe distance between the viewer and the screen. That lie gets blurred with horror video games, where the player is involved in controlling the story's direction. Finding a way to make that intimate relationship with horror from the games translate to the screen would be no easy task.
As pointed out by Variety, Scott Cawthon has been pretty transparent with fans of the games regarding the delays and has even shouldered some of the blame. "OK, guys, I had a script written; Jason [Blum] liked it, and Chris Columbus liked it too, but I tossed it," he wrote on a fan forum. "I had a different idea for it, one that I liked better. I take responsibility for this delay; it's my fault." Cawthon is acutely aware of how long fans have been waiting for the film but wanted to ensure that the final product would be worth the wait. "I hate delaying a project that's already seen so many delays, but I have to go with my instincts on what I think will be exciting and interesting and what I think the fanbase will really want to see."
'We had to find a structure that would work for us'
There's a lot of pressure to do good by the passionate (arguably rabid) fanbase, which means there's no way anyone on the creative team was going to phone it in. "Five Nights at Freddy's" needs to be able to stand tall alongside nearly a decade of the "FNAF" phenomenon, and it certainly hasn't been easy. Scott Cawthon's initial version of the screenplay being scrapped entirely for not fitting the vision for the project is certainly a major part of why the film adaptation of "Five Nights at Freddy's" has taken so long, which would have a domino effect across the entire production. After all, all films begin with a script. Fortunately, Jason Blum and company have seemingly figured out how to make it work. Based on what we've already seen from the trailers, the film will incorporate story elements from across the franchise, rather than exclusively follow the plot of the original game.
"It was many, many, many years of development," said Blum. "We had to find a structure that would work for us to make this movie together." Finding that structure took years but by all accounts, the film sounds like the wait will have been worth it. "We finally found it and we finally made the movie," Blum added. "And as you can hear by my voice, I'm extremely proud of the movie that we made together." All signs point to a stellar adaptation and if all goes well, there are plenty of brutal moments in the games to put on screen in future movies.
"Five Nights at Freddy's" will arrive in theaters and simultaneously on Peacock on October 27, 2023.