Fans have always been quick to theorize on the reason some movies get more restrictions around the release of critic reviews than others, usually assuming that a close-to-release review embargo often means that there is a strong chance that the reviews are not going to be exactly glowing. That is exactly what is happening with upcoming horror sequel, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, which will not allow any reviews to be released until 24 hours before the movie is released on December 5, 2025.
In a similar move to the first film, the embargo on reviews will be lifted at 1:00 a.m. ET on December 4, meaning that there will be many people who have already reserved their tickets for opening weekend, and will already be planning on seeing the movie. Mirroring the first Five Nights at Freddy’s review embargo, which resulted in a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it is not hard to come to the conclusion that Universal may be expecting more of the same for the sequel. The question is, will it really matter?
Despite being panned, Five Nights at Freddy’s is still one of the only movies in the last six years to have been produced by Blumhouse and surpass $200 million at the box office. This year has been hugely disappointing for the company, with Wolf Man, Drop, and even M3GAN 2.0 struggling. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 has a lot resting on its shoulders, especially considering its massive $51 million budget – the highest for any movie with Blumhouse’s involvement.
‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ Can Still Be a Hit
Recently, the Five Nights at Freddy’s sequel was given another PG-13 rating, the same as its predecessor. While this means that there are not the restrictions on audiences that an R-rating would bring, many fans were disappointed after the promise that the sequel would make up for the lack of blood and scares of the original. Speaking at CCXP back in June, Jason Blum said:
“We took lots of criticism, saying it was not scary, lacked blood or strong scenes. We decided to implement all that in the sequel.”
There is still a belief that if a horror movie does not receive an R-rating, then it is not a horror movie. However, there have been several PG-13 movies that rank among the scariest movies of all time, including Poltergeist, The Ring, and Insidious. While this does not mean there will be too much graphic gore and violence, it certainly doesn’t mean that Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 can’t deliver some genuine scares.
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 stars Hutcherson along with fellow returnee Matthew Lillard and his former Scream costar Skeet Ulrich. The synopsis of the new movie reads:
“One year has passed since the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. The stories about what transpired there have been twisted into a campy local legend, inspiring the town’s first ever Fazfest. Former security guard Mike (Josh Hutcherson) and police officer Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) have kept the truth from Mike’s 11-year-old sister, Abby (Piper Rubio), concerning the fate of her animatronic friends. But when Abby sneaks out to reconnect with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, it will set into motion a terrifying series of events, revealing dark secrets about the true origin of Freddy’s, and unleashing a long-forgotten horror hidden away for decades.”
- Release Date
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December 5, 2025
- Director
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Emma Tammi
- Writers
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Scott Cawthon
- Prequel(s)
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Five Nights at Freddy’s
- Franchise(s)
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Five Nights at Freddy’s
