Five Nights at Freddy's 3 Gets New Writer Dauberman

A third "Five Nights at Freddy's" film is officially moving forward with a significant creative change, as veteran horror screenwriter Gary Dauberman has been hired to write the screenplay. The news, confirmed on June 26, 2026, marks a strategic shift for the lucrative film series following widespread criticism of the scripts for the first two installments.

The first film, released in October 2023, was co-written by director Emma Tammi, Seth Cuddeback, and franchise creator Scott Cawthon. Cawthon then wrote the 2025 sequel alone. While both movies were major box office successes, grossing over $200 million globally each, they were panned by critics who cited weak narrative structure, thin characters, and an over-reliance on fan service. The hiring of Dauberman, known for his work on "IT," "Annabelle," and "The Nun," is seen as an effort to address these shortcomings by bringing in a writer with experience adapting dense source material into mainstream horror hits.

Director Emma Tammi is expected to return to helm the third film, with Cawthon remaining involved as a producer. Key cast members from the previous movies, including Josh Hutcherson, Piper Rubio, and Elizabeth Lail,...