3 Years Later, This Controversial Horror Franchise-Starter Surges on Netflix

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Julia Belanova wears a work uniform in 'Five Nights at Freddy's

Published Mar 17, 2026, 4:14 PM EDT

Britta DeVore is a Senior Author for Collider who has been known to dabble with Reality News as well.

Have you seen stories about 'Chucky,' 'Scream,' 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' 'The Boys,' 'Vanderpump Rules,' or any of 'The Real Housewives' franchises? That's probably a Britta DeVore-curated piece of art, and it sounds like you have great taste.

When she isn't sitting behind her laptop bringing readers her hot takes on upcoming projects or keeping the dream alive in the Senior News team, Britta can usually be found outside hiking or inside behind her drum set. She currently plays in two bands, Kid Midnight and Watergate, both based in Brooklyn. An obsessive traveler, Britta loves long road trips to the South West and has a soft spot in her heart for canyons, rivers, and forests.

She also has a tiny cat named Athena that she loves more than anything else in the world and is always happy for new brewery recs.

There is absolutely zero shortage of adaptations in Hollywood. It seems like every day we’re learning about a new book or video game that’s receiving an on-screen telling. And, to be fair, we absolutely can’t blame studios for going this route because the dollar signs oftentimes quickly add up at the box office. However, on the other side of the coin, the creative team behind such projects is faced with the difficult task of doing right by a fanbase that has, in many cases, an in-depth knowledge of the characters and lore that come with the story.

This year alone, cinemas will welcome audiences to explore the worlds of favorite titles like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Mortal Kombat 2, and Street Fighter, while the docket of incoming game-to-screen adaptations is incredibly stacked. For so many out there, their cups runneth over, as over the horizon is Sonic the Hedgehog 4, The Legend of Zelda, and A Minecraft Movie 2. Then, there’s the small screen, with streaming services using already developed fandoms to launch projects like HBO Max’s The Last of Us and Prime Video’s Fallout.

Sadly, not every video game adaptation can be a win for its dutiful group of followers. That’s precisely what we saw in 2023 when filmmaker Emma Tammi brought terror to life courtesy of a live-action theatrical adaptation of Five Nights at Freddy’s. Starring Josh Hutcherson, the movie followed the games as it followed a night watchman at a defunct pizzeria, where the animatronic characters come to life and wreak havoc. On paper, the movie was one of the year’s biggest hits, earning a staggering $297.2 million against its $20 million production budget, but amongst fans and critics, it did more than fall short of expectations. However, according to FlixPatrol, the supernatural flick is enjoying a resurgence thanks to streaming, as it reached as high as the seventh spot on Netflix’s global Top 10 list this past week.

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The Staying Power of Five Nights at Freddy’s

Despite striking out with viewers, the box office numbers proved that fans were still interested in seeing more from the Five Nights at Freddy’s universe. Late last year, the highly anticipated sequel, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, was released with Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Matthew Lillard, and Piper Rubio reprising their roles alongside a fresh ensemble that included Skeet Ulrich, McKenna Grace, and Wayne Knight. Duplicating the success of the flagship film, the follow-up killed it at the box office, earning $239.6 million against a $51 million production budget. Now, all eyes are on Universal for an official announcement surrounding a third installment that may very well bring the trilogy to completion.

Head over to Netflix now to stream Five Nights at Freddy’s.