How the New FNAF Movie Intends to Expand the Lore

The FNAF fandom is officially back in full freak-out mode. After Universal dropped the first details about Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 at CinemaCon and confirmed a December 5, 2025, release date, fans haven’t stopped talking. Between returning cast members, new animatronics, and serious hints that the story is expanding way beyond Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, this sequel looks like it’s doing way more than just picking up where the 2023 movie left off—it’s diving headfirst into deeper lore territory. And for long-time FNAF fans? That’s the dream.

New Cast, New Animatronics, Same Nightmares

Let’s start with who’s back: Josh Hutcherson is returning as Mike Schmidt, our sleep-deprived security guard turned reluctant hero. Matthew Lillard will once again play William Afton—the twisted mastermind behind the animatronic horrors—and Elizabeth Lail is expected to return as Vanessa, who fans know has a much deeper connection to the FNAF mythos than we’ve seen on screen so far.

But it’s not just familiar faces. The sequel is also bringing in some intriguing new names: Mckenna Grace and Wayne Knight have joined the cast, though their roles are still under wraps. That mystery alone is enough to keep Reddit busy for weeks.

Even bigger than the cast additions? The animatronics. FNAF 2 is rumored to introduce the Toy animatronics—Toy Freddy, Toy Bonnie, and Toy Chica—the revamped, more advanced versions of the originals that showed up in the second game. They might look cuter, but don’t be fooled. These things are built for maximum creep factor.

Going Deeper Into the FNAF Universe

What really has fans fired up, though, is what the movie might reveal. Director Emma Tammi is working closely again with FNAF creator Scott Cawthon, and she’s made it clear this sequel is going bigger in every way. That includes finally exploring events that have only been hinted at in the games—like the infamous “Bite of ’87.”

If you’re not deep in FNAF lore, that’s the moment an animatronic allegedly bit someone’s frontal lobe off. Yeah. It’s a huge piece of the backstory, and the movie finally tackling it would be a massive deal.

The trailer shown at CinemaCon also hinted that the terror is no longer confined to a single location. Vanessa’s line—“They’re everywhere”—suggests the animatronic horrors might be on the move. That means new locations, new victims, and maybe even a more connected FNAF universe. Think The Conjuring, but with homicidal robots and a way more convoluted timeline.

Prediction Time: Is FNAF Building a Horror Cinematic Universe?

Here’s where things get interesting. Between the addition of new animatronics, more complex characters, and storylines straight from the games, it feels like FNAF 2 isn’t just a sequel—it’s a setup.

Whether they’ll confirm it or not, Universal might be laying the groundwork for a full-blown FNAF cinematic universe. There are still so many characters, timelines, and events from the games that haven’t made it to the big screen yet. And if this sequel performs like the first one (which crushed at the box office), you can bet there are more movies on the way.

Long story short: if you’re even kind of into FNAF, this is one to watch. It’s not just a return to Freddy’s—it’s a full-on expansion of one of the wildest, weirdest horror franchises out there. And if they finally explain the Bite of ’87? Game over. Fans will lose their minds.