Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 Opens with Record-Breaking $57 Million Debut

Blumhouse Productions continues its strong performance in the box office with the release of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. This sequel opened to a remarkable $56.6 million from 3,412 theaters in the domestic market, setting a record as the highest debut for a post-Thanksgiving release.

Record-Breaking Box Office Performance

Despite receiving poor reviews from critics, earning only 13 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, audience response has been favorable. The film garnered a B CinemaScore and robust exit polls.

• Opening weekend earnings: $56.6 million
• Friday earnings (including previews): $30.1 million
• Number of theaters: 3,412

Milestones Achieved

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 achieved several key milestones:

• Second-best horror opening of 2023 behind *The Conjuring: Last Rites*
• Highest opening for a PG-13 horror film in 2023, surpassing *Predator: Badlands*
• Record for highest December horror opening, exceeding *Scream 2*

Franchise Background

This sequel follows the success of the original Five Nights at Freddy’s, which became the highest-grossing horror film of the year with over $300 million globally. The film is based on the popular game series by Scott Cawthon.

Josh Hutcherson reprises his leading role, with Emma Tammi returning to direct. The sequel faces tough competition this weekend from other notable releases.

Competition Overview

Zootopia 2, Disney’s holiday blockbuster, is projected to finish in second place with approximately $45 million from 4,000 theaters, bringing its total to over $222 million.

Meanwhile, Wicked: For Good, a sequel from Universal, is experiencing a significant drop of 75 percent in its third weekend, estimated at $15.6 million from 3,985 locations, totaling around $296 million.

As the weekend progresses, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 sets the stage for its box office success, indicating Blumhouse’s enduring appeal in the horror genre.