The sequel to the hit horror film Five Nights at Freddy's opened strong at the box office, earning $63 million in its domestic debut over the post-Thanksgiving weekend. This performance exceeded expectations and marks a recovery for producer Blumhouse-Atomic Monster after a challenging year. The film, inspired by the popular video game franchise, also added $46 million internationally for a global total of $109 million.
Opening Weekend Success
Five Nights at Freddy's 2 topped the box office charts with a robust $63 million domestic opening, surpassing projections that estimated between $35 million and $40 million. Directed by Emma Tammi, who helmed the 2023 original, the film follows a former pizzeria night guard confronting animatronic killers. It reunites stars Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard, Elizabeth Lail, and Piper Rubio. Produced on a $36 million budget by Blumhouse-Atomic Monster and released by Universal, the sequel is poised for profitability, especially given the first film's $300 million worldwide gross despite a simultaneous theatrical and Peacock debut.
Industry Context and Recovery
The debut provides a much-needed win for Blumhouse-Atomic Monster, which faced setbacks in 2025 with underperformers like M3GAN 2.0, Wolf Man, and Drop. However, the October release of Black Phone 2 signaled a turnaround, and this latest hit reinforces the studio's track record with franchises such as The Purge and Get Out. Analyst Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations noted the broader trend: "These video game adaptations are slaying at the box office. They have captured the attention of a younger generation of moviegoers like no other genre."
Internationally, the film earned $46 million across 76 markets, including strong showings in Mexico, the U.K., Australia, Brazil, Spain, Germany, Italy, and France. This success highlights the enduring appeal of video game-inspired films, joining recent hits like A Minecraft Movie and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Broader Box Office Landscape
The post-Thanksgiving weekend saw renewed audience interest, with Disney's Zootopia 2 in second place at $43 million, pushing its global total to $915.8 million and on track for $1 billion. Other performers included Wicked: For Good at $15.6 million and Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution debuting at $10.2 million. Despite these bright spots, the overall 2025 box office trails pre-pandemic levels, running about 1% ahead of 2024, amid concerns over industry shifts like the Netflix-Warner Bros. deal.