“Five Nights at Freddy’s” has set an October release date to terrify audiences in multiplexes… and on Peacock.
Universal Pictures has announced a simultaneous release for the Blumhouse-produced adaptation of the popular horror video game series, setting an Oct. 27, 2023 date for both a theatrical bow and a debut on the studio’s streaming service.
Producer Jason Blum, a prolific presence on Twitter, took to the platform Wednesday evening to make an announcement of the release date, though a note on the simultaneous Peacock debut is absent.
A day-and-date horror release has become an annual affair for Universal. This will mark the third time that the studio has set a hybrid debut for a Blumhouse production in October. Previously, both “Halloween Kills” (2021) and “Halloween Ends” (2022) landed on Peacock the same day that they opened in theaters.
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Like the two “Halloween” entries,” “Five Nights at Freddy’s” carries the name of an established horror property (albeit a video game, as opposed to a film franchise). Although no production budget has been officially disclosed, Blumhouse’s output has a reputation for slim costs, meaning that they don’t often require staggering ticket sales to turn a profit in theaters.
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Universal has also experimented with day-and-date Peacock releases for other films, such as the DreamWorks Animation sequel “The Boss Baby: Family Business” and the Jennifer Lopez romantic comedy “Marry Me.”
Directed by Emma Tammi, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” follows a security guard who experiences a series of terrors at the pizza joint he’s taken the night shift at. The film stars Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Kat Conner Sterling, Mary Stuart Masterson and Matthew Lillard, as well as animatronic designs and technology by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s” is produced by Blum and Scott Cawthon. Executive producers include Bea Sequeira, Russell Binder and Christopher H. Warner. The film is produced by Blumhouse, in association with Striker Entertainment.
