Dauberman Pens FNAF 3
Blumhouse Hires Horror Expert Gary Dauberman to Script Five Nights at Freddy's 3
Key Points
Josh Hutcherson stars in both Five Nights at Freddy's films.
Scott Cawthon co-wrote the screenplay for the first film with Emma Tammi and Seth Cuddeback, then wrote the second film on his own.
Blumhouse Atomic Monster had a strong year with Obsession and Backrooms, but faced a mixed 2025 with underperformers like Wolf Man and M3GAN 2.0, while The Black Phone 2 was a modest hit.
The news of Dauberman's hire was reported by Dread Central, highlighting the new screenwriter on the project.
Industry insiders expect many of the principal cast members from the first two films to return for the third installment.
Blumhouse Atomic Monster has hired Gary Dauberman to write the screenplay for Five Nights at Freddy's 3, according to Dread Central. Dauberman, the scribe behind the record-breaking It duology and The Conjuring universe films, replaces series creator Scott Cawthon as the primary writer. Director Emma Tammi is expected to return, with production tentatively set to begin in late 2026.
The hire marks a major creative shift for a franchise that has earned over $536 million worldwide across two films — both on modest budgets. IGN reports Blumhouse and Atomic Monster see the third film as a top priority, with a potential release window in late 2027.
Dauberman Steps In After Cawthon's Solo Script Struggled Critically
Scott Cawthon wrote the second film's screenplay on his own. The result grossed $239.6 million worldwide but scored just 12% on Rotten Tomatoes, according to Head Topics. The first film, which Cawthon co-wrote with Emma Tammi and Seth Cuddeback, fared better critically at 32% — but audiences loved both, giving each installment an 87–88% audience score.
By bringing in Dauberman, Blumhouse is clearly targeting better critical reception. The studio appears to be moving away from Cawthon's fan-first scripting style toward a more polished Hollywood narrative. Cawthon is not gone — he stays on as producer, keeping the game's lore intact.
Who Is Gary Dauberman and Why Does He Matter
Dauberman is one of horror's most commercially successful writers. He wrote both It and It Chapter Two, which together grossed over $1.1 billion globally. He also penned Annabelle, The Nun, and several other films in The Conjuring universe. Lokmattimes describes him as an "acclaimed horror writer" with a strong track record of turning genre properties into blockbusters.
His hire was accidentally confirmed before the official announcement. At a fan convention, actor Skeet Ulrich told an audience, "The guy who wrote IT is writing it right now," according to IGN. Ulrich also teased that the third film will focus heavily on the relationship between his character and Matthew Lillard's William Afton. The official announcement corrected a brief rumor that It Follows writer David Robert Mitchell had the job.
Franchise Box Office Stays Strong Despite Studio's Rocky 2025
The first Five Nights at Freddy's opened in October 2023 on a $20 million budget and earned $297.2 million worldwide — the biggest Halloween opening in history at the time. The 2025 sequel cost $36 million and brought in $239.6 million. Combined, the two films generated more than $536 million against roughly $56 million in production costs, per Head Topics.
Not everything went well for Blumhouse Atomic Monster in 2025. Wolf Man earned just $35.2 million and M3GAN 2.0 pulled in $39.1 million — both well below expectations. The studio rebounded in 2026 with Obsession ($341 million) and Backrooms ($312 million). Analysts see FNAF 3 as a low-risk anchor for the studio's 2027 calendar, with an estimated budget of $51 million.
A Reveal at Comic Con and a 2027 Release on the Horizon
Industry insiders expect Blumhouse and Universal to use New York Comic Con in October 2026 to officially announce the film's title and release date, according to IGN Nordic. The film is rumored to carry the subtitle Fazbear's Fright. A late 2027 theatrical release is the current target.
No cast confirmations have been made officially. But sources say most principal cast members from the first two films are expected back. Josh Hutcherson, who plays security guard Mike Schmidt, is widely expected to reprise his lead role. Skeet Ulrich and Matthew Lillard are also anticipated to return based on their own public comments at fan events.
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