"Five Nights at Freddy's 2" Strikes Fear at Comic-Con with Triple the Animatronics

The ghoulish video game-turned-movie "Five Nights at Freddy's" thrilled and chilled the San Diego Comic-Con crowd, with director Emma Tammi wheeling out its notorious animatronic kingpin, Freddy Fazbear, during the Universal Pictures and Blumhouse’s panel discussion for the game's much-anticipated sequel.

Hot on the heels of the movie teaser that landed the same day, Tammi hinted at the ax to grind that the original movie's murderous metal menaces are planning. The chit-chat led by cosplay enthusiast Juju “Straw Hat Goofy” Green, provided some tantalizing sneak peeks of the imminent film.

Pulling out all the stops this time around, director Emma Tammi, who also directed the first offering, shared, “We boosted the animatronic roster to over three times that of the first installment”. Partnered with the Jim Henson Company for the creepy creations, she further added, “We aimed for a practical and realistic feel for the automata, something the Henson team have mastered over the years. Recognizing "Freddy’s" massive fanbase, they ensured the game's iconic designs were on full display."

Jumping aboard the fright-train once more, Scott Cawthon, the mastermind behind the game series, waves the scriptwriting wand. Recurring cast members Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard, Elizabeth Lail, and Piper Rubio are joined by fresh faces including Freddy Carter, Wayne Knight, Mckenna Grace, Teo Briones, Theodus Crane, and Skeet Ulrich, who previously teamed up with Lillard on "Scream".

Setting the tone for his character's arc, Briones unveiled that he will be dealing with the supernatural as a paranormal web show photographer, while Crane hinted at potential love in the air between Hutcherson's Mike and Lail’s Vanessa, despite his character's misgivings about the chemistry going awry.

Hutcherson spilled some beans about Mike’s journey in the sequel sharing, “Mike, still reeling from the nightmare that was the first movie, yearns for a respite and a normal life. He is earnestly trying to navigate through his trauma when the terror saga repeats. Well, what can one say? Poor Mike!”

Hutcherson also threw a bone to the fans by dropping the bombshell that the beloved animatronic, Mangle, heavily battered and reminiscent of Funtime Foxy, is set to terrorize in the sequel.

Lillard, who couldn't be there in person, sent in a video message urging fans to back the film for more sequels, even joking about his desire to kill off Mike Schmidt in a potential third installment!

Ulrich kept his cards close to his chest, teasing, “My character has a rich and emotive backstory, deeply entwined with the unfolding events."

Wrapping up the event, a snippet from the film allowed a peek into the paranormal crew venturing into the original Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza and coming across The Marionette, another fan-favorite nightmare fuel from the games.

The original movie, which grossed an impressive $297 million worldwide, made a killing at the box office and became Blumhouse’s highest-grossing movie ever while juggling its conjunctional Peacock streaming featuring Hutcherson as a security guard fending off murderous automatons at Freddy's Fazbear’s Pizza.

The sequel, produced by Blumhouse’s boss Jason Blum and Cawthon, with Tammi, Beatriz Sequeira, Christopher Warner, Russell Binder, and Marc Mostman serving as executive producers, is set to hit theaters on Dec. 5. Better brace yourselves for the chills and thrills!