Five Nights at Freddy's is a 1987 American animated fictional musical comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures, based on the video game series by Scott Cawthon. The film is written and directed by Don Bluth and produced by Gary Goldman, John Musker, Ron Clements and John Pomeroy and executive produced by Thomas Schumacher, Burny Mattinson, David Michener and Thomas Schumacher.
The film tells the story of five animatronics (of a failing, low-budget pizzeria), who are capable of feeling human emotions, as they reflect on their past lives and look after each other as their pizzeria is soon-to-be shut down.
The film was a box office success, received critical acclaim, and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy of 1987. Following its success, it spawned numerous direct-to-DVD sequels, starting with Five Nights at Freddy's 2 in 1992.
Plot
In 1992 (as revealed in the post-credits of Five Nights at Freddy's 2), Freddy Fazbear's Pizza started off as a well-renowned family entertainment pizzeria a few years prior, but is planned to be shut down by the end of the year. Reasons for being moved are because of the high-budget cost of the pizzeria and the shady past behind previous restaurants from the same company as that of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Fazbear Entertainment, the company, also passed to sell the restaurant, as other companies did now want to be associated with the shady company.
The animatronics that reside in the pizzeria are programmed with highly advanced artificial intelligence, being capable of thinking for themselves and expressing human emotions. Freddy Fazbear (John Goodman), an animatronic bear and main mascot of the pizzeria, grieves over nobody visiting the pizzeria. He has attempted to keep the pizzeria open, but failed. Even negotiating with the employees is pointless. Freddy's friends, Bonnie (Barrie Ingham) and Chica (Loni Anderson) encourage Freddy to look after what is left of the pizzeria.
For the time being, they all take care of each other and discuss some incidents and events that has happened from previous years ago. Freddy mentions a mass murderer whom the animatronics nicknamed the "Purple Man" and is responsible for the "Missing Children Incident".
Foxy (Burt Reynolds), a discontinued animatronic fox, has a separate show stage and lives in solitude. He is rather grumpy and bitter. Freddy and Bonnie attempt to get Foxy to leave his stage and socialize, but Foxy refuses to leave. After several attempts, Freddy and Bonnie give up. In private, Foxy mourns over the loss of a very close friend who is another animatronic. Eventually, Chica chases away Foxy from his stage and talks to him about his problems. Foxy only explains very little, as he is still grumpy. Knowing she shouldn't pressure him on his personal problems, Chica makes pizza for Foxy to put him at ease. Foxy redeems himself and apologizes to Freddy, Bonnie and Chica for the way he's been acting and they forgive him.
Several months later (leading up to November), 22-year-old Mike Schmidt (Steve Perry) works as the night watch security guard for Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria. For the first five days of Mike's job, Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy (with each animatronic showing up on different nights) attempt to befriend Mike, but he appears scared of the animatronics, believing they're "coming to life" at night to harm him. Eventually, Freddy is able to tell Mike that there is nothing to fear, as the animatronics are simply programmed artificial intelligence with an above average IQ. Freddy then tells Mike of some past experiences that were traumatic. Mike confesses to Freddy he has experienced traumatic events as well.
Meanwhile and unbeknownst to Mike and the animatronics during the week, an animatronic bear dubbed "Goldie" (Thurl Ravenscroft), with fur shining bright yellow/gold, spies on Mike while the animatronics become friends with him. Goldie mistakes Mike for the previously mentioned "Purple Man". Goldie seeks Foxy for assistance to murder Mike and leave behind no traces. Foxy backs out from helping Goldie, which infuriates him, believing Foxy is siding with the "Purple Man". Before Foxy could tell him he is mistaking, Goldie tries dismantle Foxy, but Foxy escapes. Foxy is unable to tell Mike (who is finished with his shift for the night) that he is in danger, but gives the news to Freddy, Bonnie and Chica.
Upon arriving at the pizzeria for his last work day of the week, Mike is prevented from working his usual shift by Bonnie and Chica. Mike asks what's going on and they explain that another animatronic is out to kill him, and they swear to protect him. When Goldie arrives to finish his commitment, Foxy attempts to convince Goldie not to cause harm, but ends up picking a fight as he taunts Foxy (who ends up getting knocked unconscious). Freddy tries to calm Goldie down, then an angered Goldie makes Freddy experience hallucinations from his past. Freddy is strong enough to surpass the hallucinations and forcefully holds Goldie to the ground, pleading for Goldie to come to his senses.
Goldie realizes his mistakes, eventually leading to self-loathing. Freddy privately speaks with Goldie. Goldie confesses to Freddy that he wants revenge on the "Purple Man" after witnessing him doing horrifying things. Freddy forgives Goldie of his hostile actions, but also tells Goldie to let go of the past as it will only hurt him more than he already is. Freddy also offers Goldie to perform on stage with him and his friends, but Goldie doesn't accept the offer. Instead, Goldie resides to darkness as there are things he needs to think about. Freddy leaves Goldie to his own devices. Goldie secretly tells himself that the purple uniform Mike wears made him experiencing horrible flashbacks.
Before the end of the week, Mike is fired from his job for "tampering with the animatronics". As Mike prepares to leave and eventually search for another job, the animatronics bid him farewell and swear to always remember him. Mike does the same.
One morning (even with a gigantic audience around), Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy sing together on their show stage like they used to in the daytime.
Cast
- John Goodman as Freddy Fazbear, a jolly, high-spirited animatronic bear and the main mascot of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.
- Joey Lawrence as Gabriel
- Barrie Ingham as Bonnie, a goofy, hysterical animatronic rabbit. He is a guitarist and one of the mascots of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.
- Macaulay Culkin as Jeremy
- Loni Anderson as Chica, a motherly, worrisome animatronic chicken. She is a master chef/baker and one of the mascots of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.
- Candace Hutson as Susie
- Burt Reynolds as Foxy, a bitter, grumpy, and annoyed animatronic fox. He is a pirate and wishes to be left alone. He is also a discontinued character in the pizzeria, leading him to be a former mascot.
- Gabriel Damon as Fritz
- Thurl Ravenscroft as Goldie, a ghastly, but traumatized animatronic bear. His fur is the color of gold/yellow. He tends to look back into his past, which hurts him mentally, causing him to become hostile.
- Judith Barsi as Cassidy
- Steve Perry as Mike Schmidt, a young man working as the night-watch security guard at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. He becomes friends with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy.
Taglines
From the studio that brought you "The Secret of NIMH", comes a musical adventure for kids and grown ups alike! - theatrical poster
Release
Five Nights at Freddy's held its premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California on November 13, 1987. The film was released in theaters across the nation on November 29, 1987. It was later re-released in theaters on February 14, 1990.
For a limited time in 2017, from November 27 through December 1, Five Nights at Freddy's was once again re-released in theaters across the nation in honor of the film's 30th anniversary.
VHS Releases
Five Nights at Freddy's was successful in home video sales, resulting in the film (and entire franchise) becoming a cult classic. The home video release, on VHS format, was released on July 14, 1989, part of the "Walt Disney Classics" collection. On September 15, 1998, it was released as part of the Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection for the film's 20th anniversary.
DVD and Blu-Ray Releases
The film received a DVD release on August 21, 2000 with a behind the scenes commentary with Don Bluth and the film's crewmembers, six deleted scenes and two theatrical trailers. On September 5, 2006, the film was released as a 2-disc Special Edition DVD, including a sneak peek of Five Nights at Freddy's 2 and an additional theatrical trailer from the film that was not included in the 2000 release. On October 19, 2007, the film was released as a Platinum Edition DVD, including various interactive games, the six deleted scenes and the three theatrical trailers.
The film was then released as a Blu-ray anniversary edition for the 25th anniversary on July 10, 2012. The Blu-ray release includes the making of Five Nights at Freddy's, storyboard comparison, and concept art. The six deleted scenes and the three theatrical trailers were yet again included.
On June 2, 2015, a 5-disc special edition collection for DVD & Blu-ray was released. This included featurettes including a behind-the-scenes documentary, interactive games, eight audio commentaries, storyboard comparisons, concept arts and deleted scenes.
Reception
The film was well-received during its premiere and opening week, and later achieved critical acclaim among audience and critics, praising the film for its touching story, songs, characters, and visuals. The film holds a rating of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 194 reviews, with an average rating of 9.7/10.
The site's consensus reads, "Stunning visuals, lovable characters, catchy songs, and every attention to detail of the animation, Five Nights at Freddy's is something special that will keep kids and grown ups alike entertained for years to come."
Sequels
After the success of the film, three sequels were released: Five Nights at Freddy's 2 was released in 1992, Five Nights at Freddy's 3 in 1995, and Five Nights at Freddy's 4 in 1997.
In 1999, the non-canon, spin-off sequel, FNAF World (which would feature the protagonists and antagonists of the main film franchise) was released, to negative reception.
Legacy
Five Nights at Freddy's franchise became an iconic movie franchise. Alongside the popularity of The Nightmare Before Christmas, the franchise also became one of the most popular trends at Hot Topic and other pop culture stores in the late 2000s.
The film franchise also gained popularity among Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Collectible pins, rides, snacks, merchandise, as well as character meet-and-greets with the Fazbear Crew and the Toy Animatronics made their way to fame shortly after the release of FNAF World.
Video games
After the success of the film, Disney Interactive has created several specific video games in the film, which were very popular throughout the years:
- Five Nights at Freddy's (Videogame): It was the first official video game of the movie. It was released on August 31, 1999 for Playstation, Nintnendo 64 And Sega's Dreamcast with subsequent conversions to numerous systems including Windows 95 & 98, PC-CDROM, Gameboy Color, Mac Os And A Gameboy Advance Version In 2001, It Was Published By Midway And Developed By Traveller's Tales, Later in 2006, a new version of the video game will be released, but like the 3D video game, it is completely in On The PS2, Gamecube, PSP, Wii And Xbox and is published by Activision and developed by Toys For Bob.
- Disney's Animated Storybook: Five Nights at Freddy's: It was an interactive game released in CD-ROM format by Disney Interactive Studios in 1993, which is intended for children.
- Disney's Five Nights at Freddy's: Foxy's Treasure Quest: It's another video game that was released by Disney Interactive Studios And Developed By Realtime Assosiates in 1998 For The Gameboy Color. This game is about Foxy having to embark on a new adventure to find a hidden treasure. The game stars Foxy, while Freddy, Bonnie and Chica serve as instructors.
- Disney's Five Nights at Freddy's: The Magical Adventure: It is a platform game that was developed by Toys For Bob and published by Activision for the PlayStation 2, Gamecube, Xbox, Playstation Portable, Gameboy Advance, Nintendo DS, Wii and Microsoft Windows in 2006 in the United States. It was the sequel to the 1999 video game, Five Nights at Freddy's, which was very popular during the 3D Platformer era. The video game tells us the events of the first film, but not only that, since they also tell us the events of the second, third and fourth films, this being a kind of combination. The playable characters are Freddy, Foxy, Mike, Jeremy, Mangle, Fredbear, Chris, Terrence among others, since Bonnie, Toy Bonnie, Chica, Toy Chica, Balloon Boy, SpringBonnie and Fredbear Plush are characters that only help how to play. Like The Lion King: Simba's Mighty Adventure and The Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea, we have final bosses that the protagonists must face, for example Golden Freddy, The Animatronics Withered, Springtrap, William Afton, The Phantoms, The Nightmares and Nightmare Fredbear / Nightmare that would come to be the final boss of their own level of the fourth film, We can also unlock mini-games, every time we pass from level to level.
- Fazbear Kart: It was a racing video game released in 2004 for the Xbox, Playstation 2, Gamecube And Gameboy advanced platforms It Was Published By Activison And Developed By Luxoflux. It is a kind of video game similar to Mario Kart, but with characters from Five Nights at Freddy's.
- Freddy's Carnival Craze: It was a video game that was released for the Playstation 3 Move, Microsoft Windows, IOS, Xbox 360's Kinect And Nitendo Wii & WiiU console in 2012. It is about a kind of First-Person Shooting Party Game developed by High Voltage Software and published by Activision. With a game similar to Toy Story Mania , the game features characters and Areas from The Five Nights at Freddy's Franchise.
Live-Action Reboot:
In 2018, Disney confirmed a real life movie of the classic animated with actors and real animals, will be directed by Les Mayfield (director of Miracle on 34th Street and Flubber), would feature the cast of voice actors such as Tim Allen, Andy Samburg, Kate Winslet, Johnny Depp, & Idris Elba.
The film was released on March 14, 2020.
International Releases:
- November 13th, 1987 (El Capitan Theatre)
- November 29th, 1987 (Cinema Release)
- Febreary 14th, 1990 (Re-Release)
- October 16th, 1988 (United Kingdom/Brazil)
- August 13th, 1990 (Japan)
- November 24th, 1989 (Portugal/Germany)
- December 5th, 1993 (Korean)
- Febreary 12th, 1992 (Spain)
- October 6th, 1990 (México)
- June 19th, 1988 (Los Angeles)
- May 24, 1989 (Australia/New Zeland)
- November 15, 1992 (Italy)
- September 23, 1990 (Czech)
Gallery:
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Trivia
- It is the first official Walt Disney film to be directed by Don Bluth.
- It is the first and only film in the entire franchise to have a G rating.
- Five Nights at Freddy's has the smallest voice cast in the franchise, while in contrast, FNAF World has the largest voice cast overall.
- It's the first time that Steve Perry, plays the role of his character in the film, Mike Smith.
- Freddy Fazbear, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy all make cameos in Disney's 2018 animated feature film, Ralph Breaks the Internet in the Oh My Disney website.