FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S 3 Taps IT and ANNABELLE Writer Gary Dauberman to Pen the Next Nightmare
Freddy Fazbear and his killer animatronic crew are gearing up for another trip to the big screen, and this time they're bringing one of horror's biggest writers along for the ride.
Blumhouse Atomic Monster has officially recruited Gary Dauberman to write the screenplay for Five Nights at Freddy's 3. If you're a horror fan, you already know his resume is packed with major genre hits, including It, Annabelle, and The Nun.
The Five Nights at Freddy's movies have been unstoppable financially. The first film, released in 2023, earned an impressive $297.2 million worldwide against a modest $20 million budget. Its 2025 sequel followed with another strong performance, bringing in $239.6 million globally from a $36 million budget.
Based on the popular horror video game series created by Scott Cawthon, the films are set inside the seemingly innocent Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, where haunted animatronics turn a family-friendly restaurant into a terrifying nightmare.
Josh Hutcherson has led both films, with Cawthon co-writing the original movie alongside Emma Tammi and Seth Cuddeback, before writing the sequel on his own.
While audiences have continued showing up for the franchise, critics haven't been nearly as enthusiastic. Both films received mixed to negative reviews despite their impressive box office numbers.
That's one reason Dauberman's hiring feels like such an interesting move. He's spent the past decade helping shape some of modern horror's biggest theatrical successes, and his experience could give Five Nights at Freddy's 3 a stronger script while keeping all of the creepy animatronic chaos fans expect.
If everything comes together, the third installment might finally win over critics while continuing the franchise's commercial success.
The announcement also caps off an impressive stretch for Blumhouse Atomic Monster. After a difficult 2025 that included disappointing performances from Wolf Man and M3GAN 2.0, the studio has bounced back in a big way this year.
Both Obsession and Backrooms have become two of the summer's biggest box office hits, building on last year's solid performance from The Black Phone 2.
With Dauberman now steering the story, Five Nights at Freddy's 3 suddenly feels like one of the more intriguing horror sequels on the horizon. The animatronics have already proven they can bring audiences into theaters.
Now the question is whether this new creative addition can help deliver the franchise's strongest film yet.