Five Nights at Freddy's 2 (2025)

Not a single scare in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 works, which is a waste of some genuinely great puppets, big blinking, jerky machines built for real. It’s a stack of game trivia wearing a pizza costume. A haunted marionette, a horror festival called Fazfest, a shiny new batch of Toy animatronics, a ghost-hunting crew and a talking toy that relays messages all pile into a story that only makes sense if you’ve played the games and read every fan theory. The scares are jump scares, the same loud sting every time. Josh Hutcherson keeps a straight face as Mike, the worn-out big brother, and Abby, who just wants her old robot friends back, is the only character with a clear want. Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich are barely in it, which is a crime against fun. It made $238.6 million worldwide on a reported $36 to $51 million. A 2.6 because the puppets deserved a real movie. $1,716 says you walk past an animatronic at a pizza place this year and give it a very wide berth.

What works: The practical animatronics look terrific, and Abby’s longing for her old robot friends gives the story a little heart.

What doesn’t: The plot is a confusing pile of franchise lore, the scares are cheap jump scares, and the best actors are barely used.

Who it’s for: Die-hard fans of the games who know every character and want to see them built for real.