Matthew Lillard Confirms Five Nights At Freddy’s 3 Filming Window

Published Sep 30, 2026, 7:59 AM EDT

Nick Bythrow is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant. He has been writing for the site since September 2022. He graduated from Hampshire College in 2022, where he triple majored in Journalism, Communications, and Media Studies. When he's not writing about TV and movies for ScreenRant and his blog, Frayed Branches, Nick is penning speculative fiction and poetry on Amazon. He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts.

Five Nights at Freddy's just got a major movie update.

Franchise star Matthew Lillard has confirmed the filming window for Five Nights at Freddy's 3, revealing new details about the mascot horror sequel. The third movie adapted from Scott Cawthon's juggernaut video game series is in active development at Blumhouse following the commercial success of the second movie in 2025. The story of Five Nights at Freddy's 3 has yet to be revealed, but, based on the way the previous installment ended, it's expected to pull elements from the third game in the series.

Speaking with Bloody Disgusting about his role in the upcoming Carrie TV show, Lillard confirmed the filming window for Five Nights at Freddy's 3. The actor, who portrays series antagonist William Afton, confirmed a first draft of the script has been written and passed along to the cast. He revealed a filming start window of 2027, though stayed tight-lipped about what time of year the next movie will begin filming. However, he did praise the draft, with everyone involved satisfied in the direction the film is headed.

Check out what Lillard had to say below:

I know the early version of the script came through and everyone’s really excited about it. And I know they’re moving to the next level, so we will be shooting in 2027.

In June 2026, it was reported that Gary Dauberman, writer of 2017's IT and the Annabelle trilogy, had been tapped to write the script of Five Nights at Freddy's 3. It will seemingly be the first screenplay not to involve Cawthon himself, who co-wrote the first movie with Seth Cuddeback and Emma Tammi, and wrote the second film on his own. Not much else is definitively known about the movie, however, with core story elements currently under wraps. But, based on Lillard's statement, that won't be for much longer.

The end of Five Nights at Freddy's 2 featured a number of cliffhangers the third movie will have to resolve. The final scene of the movie saw the Marionette, possessed by the spirit of Charlotte Emily, inhabit Vanessa after trust breaks between her and Mike. In a post-credits scene, a group of people find Afton's body inside the yellow Springlock Bonnie suit, teasing his return as the nefarious Springtrap. This implies the next movie will embody elements of both the third game and Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach.

Lillard's update about the third movie comes at a crucial time of expansion for the franchise. Characters from the first game were revealed to be joining Fortnite for its Halloween-themed "Fortnitemares" event. A remake of the classic fan-game The Joy of Creation will be released in 2027. In the real world, an actual, physical Freddy Fazbear's Pizza will open at the American Dream mall in Rutherford, New Jersey some time next year. Potential sequels to other games have been cryptically teased as well, but none have been directly confirmed.

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With the franchise continuing to expand its horizons, Lillard's news about the upcoming movie indicates 2027 will be a big year for the franchise production-wise. Five Nights at Freddy's 3 has a chance to be a memorably creepy installment, especially with the inclusion of Springtrap and remixed ideas from later games in the series. Depending on how it's approached, the movie could help redeem the franchise's big-screen presence following Five Nights at Freddy's 2's underwhelming critic reviews. With a dedicated audience on its side, however, it seems guaranteed to be a hit.