The news that Matthew Lillard will play William Afton in the long-awaited Five Nights At Freddy’s movie makes perfect sense thanks to the actor’s horror villain history. Over the decades, Matthew Lillard has amassed an irably diverse screen CV. Perhaps best known for his role as Shaggy in numerous Scooby-Doo projects, Lillard has also appeared in a range of teen comedies, rom-coms, darker dramas, and thrillers. The actor is also no slouch when it comes to the horror genre, with six horror movies to his name. One of these granted Lillard his other iconic role back in 1996.

For many viewers, Lillard is most closely associated with the role of Scream’s villain Stu Macher. The lanky, gregarious serial killer was nothing like traditional slasher villains, a goofy and charismatic man whose penchant for puns and playful one-liners masked a surprisingly sadistic streak. Lillard built on this persona with 1998’s under-seen psychological horror movie The Curve (also known as Dead Man’s Curve). In this dark thriller, Lillard’s Tim and a friend hatch a plan to murder an acquaintance thanks to an urban legend that claims college students who lose a loved one were automatically granted straight A’s for the semester.

Matthew Lillard As The Five Nights At Freddy's Villain Plays On His Horror Movie Past

After The Curve, Lillard shied away from villainous roles despite rumors that Stu might return in a Scream sequel. As such, the news that Lillard will play Five Nights At Freddy’s villain William Afton in the video game adaptation is great. Lillard's role as the movie’s human villain can build on his performances as Stu and The Curve’s creepy Tim. Meanwhile, the '90s nostalgia of Five Nights At Freddy’s plays upon Lillard’s status as a quintessential 1990s horror villain. Lillard can elevate Five Nights At Freddy’s and ensure that the video game movie has a human antagonist as threatening as its animatronic killers.

The casting of Afton could not be more fitting. Lillard is a ‘90s icon, and Five Nights At Freddy’s is cashing in on nostalgia for the decade just as pop culture’s love affair with the ‘80s comes to an overdue close. From its janky animatronics to its affection for 8-bit arcade games, Five Nights At Freddy’s is steeped in ‘90s nostalgia. While Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey’s critical failure proves that nostalgia alone won’t be enough to guarantee the movie’s success, this should not be a problem for Five Nights At Freddy’s thanks to Lillard’s reliable screen presence.

What Matthew Lillard's Horror Villains All Have In Common

Lillard’s horror villain roles are all defined by their weird sense of playfulness, a discomfiting character element that jars with their violent misdeeds. William Afton is a child murderer but also the creator of Five Nights At Freddy’s cutesy animatronic creations. Stu is a lovable goofball, but this doesn’t stop him from slaughtering dozens of people. The Curve’s Tim is a conniving monster but maintains the same veneer of charm that Lillard has brought to most of his screen roles. Thus, Five Nights At Freddy’s is perfectly positioned to add another great Matthew Lillard horror movie villain to the actor’s growing list.