Summary
One of theFive Nights at Freddy’sanimatronics nearly caused an on-set accident.Luckily, it was not like the bite of ‘87.
Blumhouse’sFive Nights at Freddy’smovie has been in development since 2015 and dealt with several problems that kept it in development for so long, such asdirector Chris Columbus leaving the project. Despite those problems, the film continued forward, and to fans’ surprise, the animatronics were made with practical effects instead of CGI. However, this decision did not come without consequences.
In an interview withIGN,Five Nights at Freddy’sdirector Emma Tammi revealed Foxy’s arm spontaneously combusted during filming. Tammi was asked if working with theFive Nights at Freddy’sanimatronicscaused notable technical difficulties. “We were rolling and I heard someone quietly and calmly say, ‘Foxy’s arm is on fire,” Tammi explained. “One of the servos had been going for quite some time and it overheated… It just started smoking, and everyone calmly walked away and we put it out and switched out the arm.” Tammi said that although that is normal and happens occasionally, this was the only time it happened on set.
In the interview, Tammi also explained why the animatronics were crucial on set. She explained how making theFive Nights at Freddy’s animatronics physical and genuinely scarygave the cast some nightmare fuel even when they weren’t on fire. “Because we were doing it practically, the actors were able to interact with these animatronics in real time,” Tammi said. “The film is set in the year 2000 and we’re flashing back to the ’80s and ’90s… I and particularly Scott wanted to pay homage to those time periods and the way that movies were made back then.”
Fans of theFive Nights at Freddy’sgames will find it funny that Foxy, of all the animatronics, was the one to malfunction. In the first game, Foxy is found in Pirate Cove with an “out of order” sign as he is being repaired. Additionally, inFive Nights at Freddy’s 3,Foxy is burned in the fire at Fazbear’s Fright.
Amazingly, theFive Nights at Freddy’smovie creators were able to recreate the animatronics from the games so accurately using practical effects. ManyMoviegoers think CGI is overdone todayand that there is something lost when practical effects are not used as much. However, CGI does help limit the amount of times things catch on fire while filming.
Five Nights at Freddy’sis scheduled to be released in theaters on May 19, 2025.
More:Who Plays William Afton in the Five Nights At Freddy’s Movie?
