2025 will see the highly-awaited reunion of two horror icons in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, the sequel to the video game adaptation of 2023. Matthew Lillard is set to reprise his great character from the first film, while Skeet Ulrich is a new addition to the franchise. They’re both known for playing the vicious killers in 1996’s Scream, and though they gained a following as two strong horror figures, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 will be their official reunion after all these years. Lillard has now praised Ulrich’s performance, saying fans “will love it,” while Ulrich has nothing but love for his on-screen partner, referring to him as “one of the greatest people I know.”
Per the report by Bloody Disgusting, the horror icons were present at Silver Scream Con during the weekend, where they were guests of honor during a Scream panel. Even though the 1996 slasher was a major subject, they also used the opportunity to talk about their mystery roles in the upcoming Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, opening on December 5. Lillard said:
“I am thrilled to have [Skeet] in the community. I saw his performance this week. They’re going to love it. He’s playing a great character. If the movie’s successful, hopefully he comes back.
“We’ve seen how voracious this Five Nights community is, and I just think it’s lovely to have him a part of it. I’m glad Scott [Cawthon, Five Nights at Freddy’s creator] brought him in.”
Lillard will portray William Afton in the sequel as well. The first movie revealed that Afton was behind the attacks of the various animatronics at the pizza joint, and though he was defeated by Josh Hutcherson’s Mike, Lillard teased the return of the character:
“I love William Afton. The first movie I think I had, like, two written lines in the script, and I said to the director [Emma Tammi], ‘Why do you want me in this movie?’ And she said to me, ‘You’re the Voldemort of the universe, and they can’t make a movie without you.’ I’m like, ‘I’m so in!’
“I love being a part of the franchise. I value that part and what William Afton means to the fans, so I take it really seriously.”
Who Is Skeet Ulrich Playing in ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’?
For now, Skeet Ulrich’s character remains a secret, and when he spoke about his reunion with Lillard, he was careful not to reveal any important details:
“I always love spending time with Matt. He’s one of the greatest people I know, quite honestly. As you guys have experienced, he’s such a giving man. I always like spending time with him, and [Five Nights at Freddy’s 2] was no exception.”
In 2023, Blumhouse and Universal teamed up to deliver one of the most anticipated video game adaptations of all time. Since Five Nights at Freddy’s debuted online in 2014, the video game has earned a strong cult following. And talks about a movie adaptation didn’t take long. Cawthon was always open to bringing his concept to the big screen, but for various reasons, the project took years to make its way to the big screen. Fortunately, the wait was worth it.
Despite a poor critical reception, the Five Nights at Freddy’s movie was a huge hit with audiences. The Rotten Tomatoes score reflects this, as the critics’ score sits at 33%, while the audience score is significantly higher, at 86%. Perhaps a sequel was always part of the plan, but surely the box office performance was a key aspect to getting it greenlit as the video game outing grossed a whopping $297 million from a $20 million budget making it Blumhouse Productions’ most successful film to date.
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
- Release Date
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December 5, 2025
- Director
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Emma Tammi
- Writers
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Seth Cuddeback
- Prequel(s)
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Five Nights at Freddy’s
- Franchise(s)
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Five Nights at Freddy’s
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
