Five Nights at Freddy’s had a great box office opening weekend, filled with screams and scares as fans flocked to theaters to experience the long-awaited horror movie adaptation of the beloved video game franchise. The creator himself, Scott Cawthon, couldn't resist the allure of watching his brainchild come to life on the big screen. The video game design titan immersed himself in the opening weekend excitement and even shared some heartwarming stories from the screenings he snuck into.
The video game developer turned writer took to Reddit to recount his experiences during the film's opening weekend. In a post, he wrote:
Friday evening's showing was the best. It was a packed crowd and I got to hear everyone cheer and clap. That was a lot of fun. I got up to go to the restroom at one point and I walked past a group of teenagers in the front row. One of them said, 'Hey, Dad.' Not my son, obviously, but I did reply- 'Hey, son.' So, somewhere out there, I have a new honorary son.
Can you imagine how surreal it would have been if fans had realized that the genius behind the series was sitting among them? Or that one of them had called him “Dad.”
That wasn’t the end of the series creator’s adventures during the opening weekend. He attended another screening on Saturday evening, proudly wearing a t-shirt featuring the 2021 first-person survival horror video game Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach. As he stood in line waiting for popcorn and drinks, Cawthon had an encounter with another fan:
I went to another showing Saturday evening. I wore a Security Breach t-shirt. I was standing in line behind a young woman in a Freddy hat waiting for popcorn and drinks, and she turned and looked at me and just said, 'I like the shirt!' That made my night.
This wasn't just a creator enjoying the fruits of his labor; it was an intimate journey into the world of Five Nights At Freddy's, shared with the very fans who've made the franchise what it is today.
Scott Cawthon concluded his Reddit post with heartfelt gratitude, saying:
Anyway, thanks everyone for making opening weekend such a big success. It was beyond my wildest dreams. I do read the comments and critiques, so while I'm glad most people had a great time at the movies, I'm definitely paying attention, and I wanted you all to know that.
Although critics had some harsh words for the movie, the stark contrast between audience and critic scores highlights the evident rift between cinema enthusiasts and die-hard franchise fans. Personally, I don’t care what the critics say – I thoroughly enjoyed the film, and it seems the opening weekend crowd was on the same page. It generated a surge of excitement and nostalgia among fans across the globe, making it one of Blumhouse's most successful opening weekends. As we move further into 2023, the horror genre continues to dominate the box office, and there's a strong sense that Five Nights At Freddy's is poised to establish itself as a significant player on the big screen in the years to come–the film’s director has already teased how the movie sets up a sequel.
Scott Cawthon's concealed presence in the audience, unbeknownst to most cinema-goers, added an extra layer of magic to the opening weekend. And who knows, when the sequel hits, you might find yourself sharing a theater with the creator.
Currently, Five Nights at Freddy's is delighting audiences at a theater near you. Impressively, it has also secured its spot among Peacock's best horror movies, granting streaming access to all with a Peacock subscription.
