The Hunger Games vet Josh Hutcherson was “so excited” about Five Nights at Freddy’s movie

Josh Hutcherson got his big break as Peeta in The Hunger Games movies. With Five Night’s At Freddy’s, he may have a career renaissance. The movie, based on the popular video game series of the same name, made $136 million during its first weekend in theaters, and this on a budget of $20 million (and while it streamed on Peacock simultaneously). That’s the kind of success that nets you a franchise deal.

Hutcherson plays Mike, an out-of-work security guard raising his little sister Abby after their parents died. He takes a job working the night shift at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a defunct Chuck E. Cheese-like restaurant full of creepy animatronic creatures that, obviously, come to life and go on murder sprees.

“He was so excited about the franchise and the animatronics and the really fun elements of Five Nights at Freddy’s,” director Emma Tammi told NBC Insider. “But he was also engaged on a deeper character level and did such an authentic job of portraying Mike.”

"He’s really struggling when we meet him and really has a great heart but is tormented by his past and fighting to take care of his sister and keep custody of her. So we really meet him at an emotional low, and through the journey of trying to survive Freddy’s, he really connects with his sister and is able to finally put the past to bed."

The Five Nights At Freddy’s movie has “some loose ends that…are going to have to come back in a sequel”

You might think that talking about Five Nights At Freddy’s as something that can be engaged upon at “a deeper character level” is overselling it; after all, video game adaptations are by and large known for being on the shallow side. But Five Nights At Freddy’s is a pretty unique case. Created by Scott Cawthon, the horror series has a deeply passionate fanbase who pay attention to every detail. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the fanbase helped establish much of the lore of Five Nights At Freddy’s; MatPat, a YouTuber closely tied to that movement, even has a cameo in the movie.

Clearly, Tammi knows her audience. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, she refrains from answering some questions about the mythology, happy to leave answers to the fan community that has proved so fruitful in the past. “That’s much more interesting than whatever my answer is going to be.”

Although a sequel hasn’t been announced, with the success of the first movie I think it’s only a matter of time. “We have some loose ends that I think are going to have to come back in a sequel to be tied up,” Tammi teased. Until then, you can see Five Nights At Freddy’s in the theater or stream it on Peacock.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels