On October 27 the highly anticipated Five Nights at Freddy’s will make it to your screens and whether you’re taking the terror to the theater or bringing it at home it’s going to be one hell of a ride this Halloween.
To celebrate the release we spoke to talented director Emma Tammi on what it meant to bring Scott Cawthon’s vision to the big screen.
Five Nights at Freddy’s is a popular horror video game franchise created by Scott Cawthon with a devoted fanbase. In the game, players take on the role of a security guard who must survive five nights at a haunted and animatronic-filled pizzeria. The game is known for its jump scares and eerie atmosphere, but you do not have to be a gamer to get into the film, as it is a standalone that can be enjoyed whether you played the game or not.
The story centers around Mike (played by Josh Hutcherson), a troubled young man who is responsible for his 10-year-old sister, Abby (portrayed by Piper Rubio). Mike is tormented by the unsolved disappearance of his younger brother over a decade ago.
Facing recent unemployment and desperate to secure a job to retain custody of Abby, Mike reluctantly accepts a position as a night security guard at an abandoned theme restaurant called Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. However, it doesn’t take long for Mike to realize that things at Freddy’s are far from ordinary.
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With the assistance of Vanessa, a local police officer (played by Elizabeth Lail), Mike’s nights at Freddy’s will thrust him into inexplicable encounters with the supernatural and immerse him in the sinister heart of an indescribable nightmare.
Tammi’s brings Cawthon’s vision to life perfectly and the true terror you feel from a classic style of horror is present. A film that doesn’t just focus on gore or jump scares but on psychological torment makes the film almost as terrifying as being in the pizzeria in person.
While speaking with animatronic designer Robert Bennett, we touched on the importance of having live puppets as opposed to relying on CGI, and the realness of being face-to-face with them. Even being in the room right there with the puppets, you feel their energy piercing through you. Bennett also shared the methodology behind creating the perfect creepy puppet and bringing Scott’s vision to life.
Check out the interview above and watch Five Nights at Freddy’s this weekend in theaters and on Peacock.