20 Upcoming Movies That Just Made Incredibly Smart Decisions
9. A Theatrical-Only Release - Five Nights at Freddy's 2
It wasn't remotely surprising that the big-screen adaptation of hit horror video game franchise Five Night at Freddy's was a stonking commercial success, but it was surprising just how well it did despite releasing on streaming the very same day in the U.S.
Even with a simultaneous streaming bow, the film scared up an astonishing $297.1 million against a mere $20 million budget, ensuring that Blumhouse swiftly greenlit a sequel.
Many box office analysts came away from the first film feeling that Universal and Blumhouse left an enormous amount of money on the table with the day-and-date release model, and they're not going to make the same mistake again, as Five Nights at Freddy's 2 will be a theatrical-exclusive release.
It remains to be seen if the sequel will outgross its predecessor or whether casual viewers had their fill the first time, but given that buying a cinema ticket will be the only way to see it day one, it's clearly going to be an explosive hit either way.