Work on “Five Nights at Freddy’s 3” Has Begun — Insider

Universal and Blumhouse appear unwilling to stop at just two films in the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise.

The premiere of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 took place on December 5, yet Universal and Blumhouse are already moving forward with the franchise. Insider Daniel Richtman reports that development on Five Nights at Freddy’s 3 is underway, and principal photography could begin in late summer 2026.

The update arrives against a backdrop of mixed box-office results for the sequel. The follow-up opened noticeably softer than the original — $7 million versus $10.3 million on opening weekend. Critics were similarly cool: the Rotten Tomatoes score sits at just 12%, compared with 33% for the first film. Moviegoers, however, were more favorable — audience ratings show 88% positive for Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 versus 86% for the original.

The first FNAF proved one of Blumhouse’s most lucrative releases: built on a roughly $20 million budget, it went on to earn more than $290 million worldwide. Director Emma Tammi and producer Jason Blum had previously discussed ambitions to expand beyond a trilogy and build a broader horror universe. Now, with the sequel’s budget reportedly rising to $35 million and returns potentially falling short, those expansion plans could be reassessed.

Source: iXBT.games