Best Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 game references in the movie trailer

Before I played it for the first time, I thought Five Nights at Freddy’s would be a quick, forgettable jumpscare simulator. Thankfully, I was woefully incorrect. Despite being more than a little goofy in places, the FNAF series has exploded into a rich, lore-packed franchise, now with its second movie on the way.

While the first film was fun, the second is gearing up to be an absolute treat for fans of the video game franchise. To help get you ready for the December 5, 2025 launch, here’s a look at the best FNAF 2 game references in the movie trailer. 

The Escapist recaps

• Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is due to come out in theaters on December 5, 2025.
• While the story will still likely deviate from the game lore, it appears to be much closer in narrative to the second video game in the franchise.
• There are lots of Easter eggs to pick up on in the trailer, including nods to mini-games and key mechanics from FNAF 2.
• Iconic characters will be making an appearance, like Withered Chica and the Puppet.

The main location looks well-crafted and eerie

The creepy office set-up in the trailer is a clear nod to the main location in FNAF 2.

It’s an incredible take on the security office that players work from in the game, complete with the messy desk and the hallway that seems to go on for much longer than it feasibly should. It’s not identical to the game office, but it’s incredibly close. 

The camera looming down the hallway and looking into the office flips the standard perspective that fans are used to, almost letting us view the scene as if we’re one of the animatronics terrorizing a player in the security office. It’s quite strange, but it’s intriguing. 

Unlike the first movie’s location, this film takes place in the original Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. The FNAF 2 trailer only gives us snippets of the Pizzeria itself, but the glimpses that we do get are incredible. 

The outside features faded, wooden copies of the Toy animatronics with wide, toothy grins, and the inside is lit up with flickering fairylights, illuminating the thick layers of dust and grime coating the painted floors.

It’s gross – and it’s just how I’d imagined it. 

My favorite reference out of the lot is the Freddy mask in the security office. The acknowledgement of how silly the mechanic seems, combined with the brief but skin-crawling jumpscare that follows, is perfection. 

There are plenty of familiar faces making an appearance

Plenty of iconic characters got a look in during the FNAF 2 trailer, with one of my personal favorites, Withered Chica, getting a small jumpscare in – as she should. 

I didn’t spot any of the other Withered animatronics in the trailer, but if Chica is present, the others will likely make an appearance as well.

Out of the variety of animatronic groups and subcategories shown across the franchise, I find this particular type to have the most memorable designs. They’re eerie and nightmarish, and also seem to be some of the most powerful foes in the games. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the Withered, they’re thought to be the original versions of the animatronics in a state of disrepair. They appear as threats alongside the Toy animatronics in FNAF 2 and have a much gnarlier appearance than their newer counterparts.

Alongside Withered Chica, the Puppet popped up in several scenes throughout the trailer, along with the Balloon Boy and Mangle. I believe the Puppet will play a key role due to her seemingly being fixated on Vanessa in the trailer, silently stalking her as she moves.

The Faz Talker seems to be tied to the mini-games

The mini-games in FNAF 2 seem to get a nod in the trailer, via the eerie Faz Talker toy that Abby has in her room. 

The voice of the Faz Talker has some fans convinced that it’s the same voice heard during the second game’s mini-games. The monotone, robotic voice does sound recognizable – I’m personally convinced – and it reads out a similar message to those heard in the mini-games.

The Faz Talker will likely be a core part of the movie’s overall narrative, as it appears to have a strong hold over Abby. There are two separate instances where she’s shown returning to the animatronics in the trailer, at the insistence of the voices in the Faz Talker telling her that she needs to help them.

The actual purpose of this device isn’t immediately made clear. It appears to be a way for the animatronics to directly contact Abby, so it’ll be fascinating to see how this plays a part in the overall story. 

Overall, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is looking like an immense film for fans of the FNAF world. While it’s still likely to deviate from the core story told in the games, this movie appears to be much more aware of the game lore and mechanics, so it should be packed to the brim with interesting easter eggs and story snippets. 

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