‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ breaks post-Thanksgiving box office records with $63M debut

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 breaks post-Thanksgiving box office records with a $63M debut and major global momentum

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 delivered a breakout performance at the post-Thanksgiving box office, scoring a massive $63 million domestic opening and $109 million worldwide, making it one of this year’s biggest horror debuts.

The Blumhouse-Atomic Monster sequel, directed by Emma Tammi and written by franchise creator Scott Cawthon, surpassed multiple records, including the largest post-Thanksgiving theatrical opening ever.

The film’s Saturday hold of –33% outperformed the first installment’s –39% drop, showing strong turnout across key demographics. FNAF 2 now ranks as the biggest opening ever for the 49th weekend of the year, surpassing titles like The Last Samurai, Ocean’s Eleven, and The Golden Compass. It is also the highest-grossing December horror debut, topping Scream 2, and Universal’s best December opening, beating Peter Jackson’s King Kong.

Universal Domestic Distribution chief Jim Orr praised the strong fan response, calling the film “a raucous, thrilling, scary sequel” that energized theaters during a slower period. Industry trackers report the weekend’s total domestic box office at $150 million, pushing the yearly total past the $8 billion milestone for the third time post-pandemic.

Audience turnout was led by moviegoers under 25, making up an impressive 74%. Premium large formats contributed 20% of grosses despite the absence of IMAX. Social engagement soared as well, with RelishMix reporting an 843 million-strong social media universe, significantly higher than other major horror releases this year.

Competing titles also delivered solid numbers, with Zootopia 2 earning $45 million and Wicked: For Good adding $15.6 million in its third frame. But the weekend belonged entirely to Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, proving once again that the franchise’s fanbase can power theatrical releases to blockbuster heights.