Director Tammi Explains Major Lore Changes in Five Nights at Freddy’s

Co-writer/director Emma Tammi discusses the major changes in the Five Nights at Freddy’s horror movie.

Based on Scott Cawthon’s popular video game franchise of the same name, the film features a troubled man hired as a security guard for Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. Things spiral out of control pretty quickly as he discovers horrifying secrets about its weird animatronics.

The film boasts a star-studded cast, including Josh Hutcherson, Piper Rubio, Elizabeth Lail, Matthew Lillard, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Kat Conner Sterling.

Director Tammi features in an interview with SlashFilm wherein she speaks about the creative liberties they’ve taken while making the film. The director reveals that they not only wanted to keep the longtime fans invested but also add something ‘surprising and new’ for all viewers. Read what she’s to say below: 

I hope that people feel like the fabric and the feeling of ‘Freddy’s’ is completely woven into the movie and delivers on the thing that they wanted, but also is surprising and new and different as well. We were really lucky to be working with Scott [Cawthon] on this, so his instincts for what was going to resonate with the fans, I really trust.

We know that Cawthon was both the co-writer and producer for the film. Therefore, much of the source material has been kept the same, with only negligible changes in the fringe elements. 

It is now confirmed that Freddy and the rest of the animatronics are indeed the ghosts of the children kidnapped and murdered by owner William Afton. Moreover, he is revealed to have committed murders in the yellow bunny suit, which ultimately traps him and leaves him for dead inside the dilapidated restaurant. 

However, there are some major changes. For instance, Lail Vanessa is revealed to be Afton’s daughter. In the games, she’s not introduced until Security Breach, where she’s a follower of Glitchtrap and a serial killer. 

The game also discloses that Mike is actually Afton’s son, and later titles see him go hunting for his father to realize an unknown plan. However, the movie reveals that Afton kidnapped Mike’s younger brother, though where his spirit lives is unknown. 

Other prominent changes to the horror flick include some tinkering with the timeline. Before the film’s release, Tammi frequently teased that the movie would be more than just a nod to the first game. This has been done by including characters like Balloon Boy and the post-credit scenes teasing the arrival of The Puppet. 

Although Five Nights at Freddy’s is getting poor reviews, the acclaim and viewership collected so far point toward a sequel for sure!

About Five Nights at Freddy’s

Five Nights at Freddy’s is a 2023 American supernatural horror film based on the video game franchise of the same name created by Scott Cawthon. It is directed by Emma Tammi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Cawthon and Seth Cuddeback, from a story by Cawthon, Chris Lee Hill, and Tyler MacIntyre.

The film stars Josh Hutcherson as a troubled security guard who accepts a night-time job at an abandoned family entertainment center, where he discovers its four animatronic mascots move and kill anyone that is still there after midnight. Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Matthew Lillard appear in supporting roles.