The cinematic adaptation of Five Nights at Freddy's is looking to bring in Gary Dauberman, known for his work on the "It" films and "Annabelle," to pen the script for a potential Five Nights at Freddy's 3. This move signals that development on the next movie in the video game adaptation series is actively underway. Dauberman's writing credits also include "The Nun" and the recent "Until Dawn" movie, with further projects like the "Street Fighter" and "Helldivers" films in his future.
The first Five Nights at Freddy's film, released in 2023, was a collaborative effort between creator Scott Cawthon and director Emma Tammi. Its sequel followed in 2025 with a script by Seth Cuddeback. It remains unclear whether Dauberman will be the sole writer for the third film.
While Five Nights at Freddy's 3 has not been officially announced, its production would follow the considerable commercial success of its predecessors. The first film became one of Blumhouse's highest-grossing projects at the time of its release, and the sequel also performed well. Globally, the first movie earned $291.5 million, with the second accumulating $238.5 million.
Reports suggest that Emma Tammi, who directed both previous films, is expected to return if development progresses. Scott Cawthon is also anticipated to be involved in a producer capacity. Although major cast members have not yet confirmed their return, many are expected to reprise their roles.
Despite the films' popularity with audiences, critical reception has been largely negative. The first movie holds a 33% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes against an 85% audience score, while the second received a 17% from critics and an 82% from audiences. IGN awarded the first film a 4/10 and the second a 3/10. The addition of Dauberman suggests an effort to potentially improve critical standing for the franchise's next outing.