Horror sequel Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is set to start filming this October, says star Matthew Lillard

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is set to start filming in October, says star Matthew Lillard – and we're here for the Halloween horror vibes.

The follow-up to Blumhouse's box-office hit , which made a whopping $297 million globally in 2023, pinned down a December 2025 release date back in May, prompting fans to speculate on when cameras would start rolling. Turns out, it's pretty darn soon...

Lillard confirmed the news while appearing as a guest on YouTubers' Jaybee and Milly's Scooby-Doo channel, where he briefly touched on his other works while talking about his time as Shaggy Rogers in the live-action 2002 movie and its 2004 sequel.

When asked whether he'd be interested in having a cameo role in Netflix's upcoming Mystery Inc-centered TV series , Lillard candidly replied: "We are journeymen on a career path... sure, I would love to... in some way, honor the original show, to give fans something fun. I'm available. I'm doing a TV show right now, I'm doing FNAF in October, but I'm available. If anyone wants me, they can find me if they need me."

Based on the hugely popular video game series of the same name, Five Nights at Freddy's follows Josh Hutcherson's security guard Mike, who finds himself having to escape the mechanical clutches of a bunch of murderous animatronics after he takes a nightshift job at Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria. Early on in the film, Lillard is introduced as Mike's disillusioned career counselor, though his screentime ramped up towards the end, when it was revealed that he was actually the pizzeria's owner (and a serial child killer known as the Yellow Rabbit).

While his fate was up in the air as the credits started rolling, he announced that he'd be returning as the character in May. As it stands, it's hard to know how much of a role he'll play in the second flick, which could mean the film's production schedule extends either side of October, but at least we know it'll definitely be shooting by then.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 releases on December 5, 2025. While we wait, check out our list of the best horror movies of all time, or our guide to the most exciting upcoming horror movies heading our way.