Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 Box Office Triumph Defies Critics with Record-Breaking Debut

The horror sequel “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” just scared up a massive box office victory. It earned a stunning $63 million in its opening weekend across North America. The film debuted on Friday in over 3,400 theaters.This performance shattered industry expectations. It proved the franchise’s dedicated fanbase remains incredibly strong. According to The Associated Press, the opening sets a new record for the weekend following Thanksgiving.

A Landmark Opening Weekend for Horror

This debut is historically significant. The weekend after the Thanksgiving holiday is typically quiet for new releases. “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” completely reversed that trend.It now holds the record for the biggest opening ever for that specific weekend. The film also scored the largest PG-13 opening of the year. It is the second-biggest horror opening of 2025, trailing only another major franchise entry.

Audience Love Overrides Critical Pan

Critics were not kind to the film. Reviews were overwhelmingly negative, even worse than for the first movie. One review called the sequel an “incoherent mess.”Audiences completely disagreed. They turned out in huge numbers for the communal theater experience. PostTrak data shows 70% of viewers would definitely recommend it to friends.The movie’s production budget was a reported $36 million. This makes its financial success even more pronounced. It is already on a clear path to major profitability for Universal and Blumhouse.The first film was a surprise hit in 2023. It opened to $80 million despite a same-day streaming release. The studio chose a theatrical-only strategy for this sequel, and the gamble paid off handsomely.

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How much did Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 make opening weekend?

The film earned an estimated $63 million in its debut. This was enough to easily claim the number one spot at the box office.

Did Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 get good reviews?

No, critical reviews were largely negative. Audience reception, however, was very positive according to exit polling data.

What record did the sequel break?

It achieved the biggest opening weekend ever for the period after Thanksgiving. This timeframe is usually slow for new movie releases.

How does this opening compare to the first movie?

The first film opened to a larger $80 million in 2023. However, that movie was also available on Peacock the same day, while the sequel was only in theaters.

What was the audience for Five Nights at Freddy’s 2?

The core audience is built from fans of the popular video game series. This group has consistently shown it will support the franchise in theaters.

What other movies were in the top five?

“Zootopia 2” placed second with $43 million. “Wicked: For Good” was third, followed by the anime “Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution” and “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.”