With a new image, Jason Blum takes audiences behind the scenes of ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s
Jason Blum is removing the curtain to reveal how the sausage — uh, animatronics — are manufactured. The producer posted a shot of the guys at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop working feverishly on figurines that we’re assuming are models for his next take on the video game-turned-film, Five Nights at Freddy’s, on Twitter today. One of the shop’s designers is sitting behind a table, smiling brightly. He molds and cuts the small parts that are starting to take shape, as seen by the figure on his left, paying great attention to the exceedingly delicate details.
While we can’t be positive, it seems like the animatronic taking form is Freddy Fazbear, the film’s eponymous character. It’s practically a dead ringer for the bear at the heart of all the panic, with the puffy chest, bowtie, and microphone. Blum expressed his delight in collaborating with the Creature Shop in the tweet’s description, stating that the company’s “experience and talent with animatronics is just deadly!”
Since its inception in early 2018, Five Nights at Freddy’s has suffered a slew of difficulties. The project originally selected Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire filmmaker Christopher Columbus to direct and write the script, but it was announced in September that Columbus’ name was no longer associated with the movie. After waiting since the early days of COVID and beyond for any word on the horror film, the announcement came as a surprise to fans who had been hoping for some indication that the project was going ahead. With today’s picture, we now know that the wheels are in motion to bring the terrifying narrative to reality.
Scott Cawthon produced the original game, which launched in 2014. In it, players assume the role of a night shift employee in a pizza parlor. While it may seem to be a perfect opportunity to enjoy some leftover slices while wiping up sticky soda stains on the floor, the shift swiftly turns deadly as the animatronic figures come to life with a craving for blood. Since its first release, the game has spawned a plethora of sequels and even many books based on the Five Nights series.
Blum told Collider in October 2021 that the case of Five Nights at Freddy’s was “very challenging to solve.” Along with the complications surrounding Columbus’ departure, the picture struck a snag owing to its screenplay, which Blum required Cawthon’s approval before going further. However, as we can see today, the screenplay has been finalized and production has begun. Take a look at his tweet below.