At the beginning of the first weekend, the film made a strong impression by topping the box office with $78 million domestically and earning an additional $52 million in other countries, bringing the global total to $130 million.
This success has propelled Five Nights at Freddy’s to the top spot among horror films with the highest opening earnings of 2023, surpassing The Nun II ($88.1 million) and becoming the highest-grossing opening weekend horror film ever produced by Blumhouse, surpassing Halloween ($91.8 million).
Specifically in the North American market, this “$20 million horror film” has also achieved several remarkable milestones: it recorded the highest opening weekend gross for a film released on Halloween (surpassing Puss In Boots with $34 million), became the top-grossing PG-13 horror film within three days of its release (overtaking The Mummy Returns with $68 million), and is now among the top three highest-grossing horror films of all time. Moreover, it marks the 19th production from Blumhouse to debut at the box office (according to Variety statistics).
Alongside its compelling narrative, the film also features a unique blend of technical mastery, thanks to the involvement of the renowned Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. This shop was responsible for creating the iconic animatronics, including Freddy Fazbear, Bonnie, Chica, Foxy, and Mr. Cupcake, which appear in the film, giving them a realistic and engaging presence.
“The ‘store’ creatures from Jim Henson have a tradition of creating memorable monsters. Their designs have appeared in many iconic works like Sesame Street, The Dark Crystal, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Babe. They have the potential to create impactful forms, resembling living entities while adhering to the horror genre’s requirements for every age group—something that Emma Tammi and Blumhouse were keen to achieve when defining Five Nights at Freddy’s with a PG-13 rating.
The design and construction process of the characters was not without challenges, but the team was thrilled to see the robots come to life. Each creation is a product of creativity, as director Emma Tammi shared: “I often visited Henson’s to check on everything and saw it as a truly immersive environment. Everyone rolled up their sleeves to work on the designs. Some parts are being built for this set, while others are already built. Everything is being realized by hand. It’s a remarkable workshop, a unique and rare place today.”
With regards to the scenes where characters do not move, the actors were often in costume while the puppeteers controlled the movements from afar. In certain instances where characters needed to move or dance, the actors wore special costumes, while the puppeteers operated the animatronics from a distance. For example, the structural puppet of Foxy required several puppeteers to operate it effectively, ensuring all movements were executed accurately.
The use of physical animatronics allowed the actors to immerse themselves and interact better than with traditional CGI. Director Emma Tammi emphasized the importance of practical effects over digital ones: “Our story unfolds in a period where film was heavily influenced by practical effects. The animatronic characters evoke a nostalgic feeling reminiscent of the 80s. They always bring an imperfect yet charming vibe. We wanted to recreate that essence.”
When the production design meets… a love for gaming and “Donnie Darko” inspiration
Five Nights at Freddy’s was filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana, over a 43-day shooting schedule. To make the film, production designer Marc Fisichella collaborated with his son—a passionate fan of Five Nights at Freddy’s. He directly contributed to the design details in the film from this experience.
The film was shot using ARRI Alexa 65 cameras, which provided high-resolution imagery. The team selected this equipment due to its ability to capture wider angles than most other camera types. This was crucial as the film needed to incorporate a shared frame between the actors and the towering animatronics, which were up to two meters tall.
Cinematographer Lyn Moncrief and director Emma Tammi designed a set resembling Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, incorporating various angles and perspectives. The scenes shot from the animatronics’ viewpoint were used as a method to enhance the tension.
VFX supervisor Jonathan Dearing worked closely with director Emma Tammi on minimizing the use of CGI, a goal that started from the very beginning of production. Before filming began, Emma Tammi and the puppeteers monitored the rehearsal for a month with the puppeteers, performers, and animatronic supervisors to better understand the robot designs and ensure safety for everyone on set.
Hair department head Amy Wood (known for M3GAN and Preacher) shared that the 2011 cult classic Donnie Darko was the main inspiration for the hair designs in Five Nights at Freddy’s.
FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S is currently showing in theaters.
