Hold onto your seats, horror fans, because the box office just got a jolt of adrenaline! Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is shattering expectations with a jaw-dropping $57 million opening weekend, proving that Blumhouse is far from done dominating the genre. But here's where it gets controversial: despite a brutal 13% Rotten Tomatoes score (down from the first film's already-low 33%), audiences are flocking to theaters, awarding it a solid B CinemaScore. Are critics missing something, or is this a case of fan loyalty trumping quality? Let's dive in.
Opening just two months after Blumhouse's Black Phone 2, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is not just winning the weekend—it’s making history. With a projected $56.6 million haul from 3,412 theaters, it’s securing the biggest post-Thanksgiving opening ever, unadjusted for inflation. This sequel, based on Scott Cawthon’s blockbuster game series about animatronic creatures terrorizing Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, is also on track for the second-best horror debut of the year domestically, just behind The Conjuring: Last Rites. And this is the part most people miss: it’s also the highest-grossing December horror opening ever, surpassing even Scream 2. Not bad for a film critics seem to despise.
But why the disconnect? While the first Five Nights at Freddy’s raked in $80 million domestically, comparing the two is like apples and oranges. The sequel’s performance is impressive given its unique release strategy and the post-holiday slump it’s single-handedly scaring away. Plus, with Josh Hutcherson reprising his lead role and Emma Tammi returning to direct, the film clearly has enough fan appeal to overcome critical backlash.
Speaking of records, Freddy’s 2 is also the highest-opening PG-13 horror film of the year, outpacing Predator: Badlands. And let’s not forget its predecessor’s legacy: the 2023 original became the highest-grossing horror film of that year, earning over $300 million globally. Blumhouse, now merged with Atomic Monster, is clearly on a roll.
Meanwhile, Disney’s Zootopia 2 is holding strong in second place with $45 million, pushing its domestic total past $222 million. Universal’s Wicked: For Good, however, is taking a steep 75% drop in its third weekend, landing at $15.6 million. That’s a stark contrast to the first Wicked, which only dropped 55% at this point. And in the anime corner, GKIDS’ Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution is looking at a $10 million debut, while Lionsgate’s Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair and Now You See Me: Now You Don’t are battling for fifth place with around $4 million each.
But back to the elephant in the room: does Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 deserve its critical drubbing, or are audiences onto something? Is this a triumph of fan service over filmmaking, or a testament to Blumhouse’s ability to tap into what scares us most? Let us know in the comments—we’re dying to hear your take!
