Five Nights at Freddy’s 2: Back for Seconds—and the Nightmares Hit Harder

A year after the supernatural events involving a Freddy Fazbears Pizza restaurant, the story has turned into a local legend and sparked the first-ever Fazfest.

Welcome back to the phenomenon that began as crazed fandom for a video game series involving security guards surviving several nights, or levels, in a fictional family-friendly eatery called Freddy Fazbear’s, which, yes, happens to be staffed by haunted, homicidal, animatronic characters. The very first Freddy’s video game was put out in 2014, and if you count all the sequels and and attached things, in June 2025 they released the 11th Freddy’s game: Five Nights at Freddy’s: Secret of the Mimic. Back in 2023, they put out the first film adaptation of the beloved franchise, to some seriously rave reviews. FNaF is so iconic at this point, even the uninitiated can recognize the giant animatronic visages of the main characters. Fans are eagerly awaiting the next chapter of Freddy and his killer animal robot pals, so make sure your freaking flashlight works, and let’s get into this!

We open with the very first Freddy Fazbear’s years ago, a family-friendly restaurant boasting a whole cast of giant animatronic characters, rides, attractions, and games. Little Charlotte (Audrey Lynn-Marie) is a bit of an outcast even at a birthday party, and would rather spend her time staring fascinated at the animatronic character called the Marionette, who is the puppeteer of the other characters of Freddy’s, much to the chagrin of apparently her only other friend, an empathetic little blond called Vanessa (Miriam Spumpkin). Of course, it turns out Charlotte’s worshipful attention is something the Marionette would want to keep around forever, and the ensuing tragic death of Charlotte causes the OG Freddy Fazbear’s to get shut down. But even that won’t stop William Afton (Matthew Lillard), the creator of Freddy and his pals, from spreading other Freddy’s locations about, even as he keeps his yellow-bunny suit always ready.

So it’s been a while since what happened in the first movie, and of course, not-as-mute-anymore Abby (Piper Rubio) misses her ghostly giant animal robot friends. Brother Mike (Josh Hutcherson) made the poor decision to tell Abby her friends are simply broken, and that he’d “fix” them someday, something the nightmare-laden adult Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) strongly disapproves of.

Though the adults in her life caution silence, Abby takes great glee in telling full-on stories of her adventures at Freddy’s to her classmates. In school, Abby tries to get involved in robotics and the school’s science fair, much to the chagrin of the teacher, Mr. Berg (Wayne Knight), who only cares about keeping the school’s winning science fair track record intact.

Meanwhile, a gang of amateur sleuths who called themselves Spectral Scoopers for their paranormal documentary show, led by host Lisa (McKenna Grace), with her pals Alex (Teo

Briones and Rob (David Andrew Calvillo), have been contacted by “a security guard called Mike?” to come and do a show inside the very first Freddy Fazbear’s restaurant. Which is obviously quite clearly haunted, and not necessarily by the ghost children from the first film. And while the guy who did actually invite them all is called Michael (Freddy Carter) and does indeed wear a night watch badge from Freddy’s, his smile is right out of the Smile movie franchise, and that is in no way a good thing.

In her loneliness and anger at once again the adults in her life not listening to her, Abby takes it upon herself to go to Freddy’s and see if she can’t fix her friends her damn self. But Abby’s been led to the OG Freddy Fazbear’s location and encountered a whole bunch of new issues, mostly involving the Marionette’s rage and ability to possess others, but also the prototype version of Freddy and his friends. So, as with Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, there are now multiple versions of Freddy and pals running about, and you’d better hope the giant crushing animatronic buddy that just tromped out of the shadows is on your side!

Time is running out for Abby, even as Mike and his old co-worker Jeremiah (Theodus Crane) and Vanessa all rush out to save her. In the sequel film, Abby takes a much more direct role in her own life, especially when the adults in her life aren’t hearing the things she’s been trying to tell them, and Abby has to charge in on her lonesome. That sort of determination is admirable and should be a required part of becoming an adult.

Skeet Ulrich gives a wonderful performance as Henry Emily, the beleaguered father of the poor murdered Charlotte from so long ago, still kicking up a fuss about Freddy’s whenever he can. And in a post-credits voice-over by Henry Emily, further information about his involvement with Freddy’s and the Aftons is revealed. There is also a mid-credits scene hinting at the return of the yellow rabbit, for the hotly anticipated 3rd Five Nights at Freddy’s film.

Make sure your bear mask covers your whole head and run off to see Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, in theaters now!