The third Five Nights at Freddy’s movie is moving forward with a heavyweight horror scribe. The original report on IGN confirms that Gary Dauberman, the writer behind the modern It films and multiple entries in the Annabelle series, has been tapped to write the script for Five Nights at Freddy’s 3. The move signals a continued investment in the film franchise after the first two installments carved out a massive audience.
The Writer Behind It and Annabelle
Dauberman’s track record in horror is extensive. He wrote the screenplay for 2017’s It and its 2019 sequel, which collectively grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide. He also served as writer on Annabelle, Annabelle: Creation, and Annabelle Comes Home, as well as The Nun. That pedigree makes him an obvious choice for a series that blends animatronic terror with psychological dread. While no director has been named yet, bringing in a commercially successful horror writer suggests the studio is aiming to maintain or even raise the bar set by the earlier FNaF films.
FNaF’s Film Momentum
The first Five Nights at Freddy’s movie stunned the box office in 2023, earning $80 million domestically on its opening weekend and becoming Blumhouse’s highest-grossing launch. Its sequel, released in 2025, solidified the franchise’s staying power, even as critics remained mixed. Now, with a third chapter already in the script phase, the series shows no signs of slowing down. In the broader gaming landscape, not everything is boom times. For every successful franchise expansion, there are also moments when not all news is good news. Yet FNaF’s translation from indie game to blockbuster film continues to defy expectations.
What the Report Means for Horror Gaming Adaptations
Five Nights at Freddy’s remains an outlier in a genre where video game adaptations often stumble. Its success has prompted other studios to revisit dormant horror IPs, though few have matched its cultural footprint. While the FNaF film series builds its brand, other corners of gaming continue to wrestle with persistent debates, such as whether freemium games are killing mobile gaming. The contrast highlights how diverse the gaming ecosystem has become—from free-to-play mobile titles to theatrical event films.
GamerHeadlines Takeaway
Hiring a writer of Dauberman’s caliber is a clear bet that the third FNaF film will double down on the horror elements that made the first two resonate. With no official release date or confirmation from Blumhouse yet, the news remains a report. But if the pattern holds, fans can likely expect another chapter sooner rather than later, continuing one of the most profitable horror series in recent memory.
