Film: Five Nights at Freddy’s

Client: Universal Pictures / Blumhouse

Campaign Focus: Trailer, TV & Digital

Objective

Translate a beloved video game franchise into a major theatrical (and streaming) event with maximum fan activation.

Challenge

Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF) had a massive global fanbase, but adapting a video game into a successful film meant managing sky-high expectations. The trailer needed to reassure long-time fans while attracting newcomers unfamiliar with the lore. The task: deliver authenticity, atmosphere, and thrills in under three minutes.

Solution: Build Suspense, Deliver Nostalgia

The first trailer, released in May 2023, was designed with the fans in mind. It balanced eerie mystery with recognizable visuals from the games—most notably the animatronic mascots from Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, brought to life with practical effects from the Jim Henson Creature Shop.

Results

-Over 80 million trailer views across platforms within weeks.

-Trailer trended #1 on YouTube in multiple countries upon release.

-Massive online buzz on Reddit, TikTok, and YouTube fueled by game fans.

-$80M 3-day domestic opening, breaking records for a horror video game adaptation.

-Grossed $297M worldwide, despite a day-and-date release on Peacock.

-Became the biggest Blumhouse opening ever and one of Universal’s top horror launches.

- Second-biggest opening ever for a video game picture, behind Super Mario Bros ($146.3M).

-Highest opening for a Halloween weekend movie.

-The biggest opening weekend for a horror film directed by a woman.

Takeaway

Five Nights at Freddy’s proved that video game IPs can thrive in cinema when paired with a marketing campaign that respects the source material. The trailer’s faithful tone and clever pacing won over loyal fans while sparking widespread curiosity—and ultimately delivered one of the most successful horror debuts of the year.

“Highest grossing horror film of 2023.”

Case Study.