With nearly a year still to go before the next installment's scheduled release, Josh Hutcherson is already weighing in on his potential franchise future after Five Nights at Freddy's proved to be a box office smash, becoming Blumhouse's highest-grossing movie to date and securing a sequel shortly thereafter.

During a recent interview with Esquire to discuss his new campaign with the Ritz-Carlton, Hutcherson was asked his thoughts on returning as Mike for more Five Nights at Freddy's movies beyond the sequel. The star was thoroughly open to the possibility of staying in the franchise, expressing that "I love playing in this world", though did caution that he doesn't know of any explicit plans, as the team are focusing on the second movie. See what Hutcherson said below:

You never know. I mean, I love working in this world. Emma Tammi, our director, is phenomenal, and with my character, Mike, I think the possibilities are endless. This could have a very potentially long run, and it could be a lot of fun, but at this point we’re focusing on the second movie. We’ll see what comes after that.

What Hutcherson's Comments Mean For FNAF's Future

Blumhouse Isn't Rushing To Make More Installments

While Hutcherson may not know of any future plans, it doesn't entirely mean the powers that be aren't already considering future movies beyond the Five Nights at Freddy's 2. Shortly before the first movie's release, Matthew Lillard revealed he had signed a three-movie deal with Universal Pictures and Blumhouse to return. This all but confirmed to fans of the games, as well, that Lillard would be portraying iconic franchise villain William Afton, in spite of reports downplaying this by saying he was playing Steve Raglan.

Raglan ultimately was an alternate identity for Afton, using his job as a career counselor to keep feeding new people to the animatronics at Freddy Fazbear's.

Even still, with no confirmation from the studio of future movies, Hutcherson's comments may indicate that Blumhouse is taking their time with developing more Five Nights at Freddy's installments. Looking at the financial success of the first installment, it'd be understandable for them to try and capitalize as quickly as possible. That said, given the movie was not very well received by critics, the studio may be working closer with co-writer/director Emma Tammi and franchise creator Scott Cawthon to make sure the second movie lives up to both the expectations critics and audiences have for it.

Our Take On FNAF's Future Beyond 2

The Sequel Will Be The Ultimate Selling Point For If The Franchise Should Continue

As a fan of Cawthon's franchise, I can't deny that the first Five Nights at Freddy's movie was something of a letdown, never taking proper advantage of the scares the games delivered so well, even if delivering a number of great Easter eggs and performances. The development of a sequel certainly seemed inevitable, regardless of Lillard's three-picture comment, when the box office skyrocketed as high as it did. That said, I was glad there was a six-month gap between the first movie's release and sequel's official confirmation, as it showed the creative team were aiming to learn what worked and didn't from the first movie.

Studios often race too quickly to establish new franchises, and as such, with Hutcherson assuring that the team are putting all of their focus into Five Nights at Freddy's 2 before considering other projects, the follow-up could very well avoid the missteps many other sequels have taken. Additionally, with such a wealth of material to pull from Cawthon's franchise and Lillard's return to horror villainy as Afton proving so entertaining, the franchise's future could certainly be bright if the sequel improves the original's flaws.

Source: Esquire