The Five Nights At Freddy's Animatronic Characters Explained
"Five Nights at Freddy's" is a popular horror video game franchise created by Scott Cawthon. The player is the security guard at a closed pizzeria, trying to survive the night as the animatronics left behind, which are possessed by the souls of dead children, try to attack the guard. The concept was widely successful, spawning nine different games as well as spin-offs and novels.
A movie adaptation from Blumhouse is on the horizon, and the second trailer gives audiences a bit more insight into the animatronics they can expect to see in the film. While there have been several iterations of animatronics that fans have encountered in the games, the movie won't showcase them all. The second trailer shows just which ones we should have our eyes on.
If you aren't familiar with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, we have gathered the important bits of lore to give you everything you need to know about them before heading out to theaters, especially if your children want to see it. Beware — there are spoilers for the games ahead, so lock yourself in the office now if you aren't ready to know the story of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza and its mascots.
Freddy Fazbear
The titular animatronic, Freddy Fazbear, was one of the first mascots of the in-universe pizza chain Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. A classic brown bear, Freddy is known to wear a top hat and bow tie. However, his appearance has changed throughout the series. Though one of the original animatronics for the pizza restaurant, after only four years he was replaced by an animatronic called Toy Freddy. Rather than fix the original animatronics, which had fallen into a state of disrepair in the first years of the restaurant's existence, a newer version was developed. Key differences in their appearance include the bright red blush on Toy Freddy, the lack of handprints on Toy Freddy's face, and Toy Freddy's smaller ears.
The disrepaired Freddy is commonly referred to as Withered Freddy. He has visible damage and wires sticking out of his body. Minor details on his body, like the eyebrows, buttons, and teeth, appear differently due to both what is thought to be initial refurbishment attempts and his use as spare parts for his Toy counterpart. However, that wasn't the end of the original Freddy Fazbear. After the company moved away from the Toy animatronic style during its first shuttering, the original Freddy animatronic was refurbished for the pizzeria when it reopened.
Freddy is the band leader
Freddy Fazbear is thought to be a later iteration of Fredbear by fans. Fredbear was an animatronic for Fredbear's Family Diner, the restaurant before Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, and was responsible for the notorious "Bite of '83." This version of the animatronic is introduced in the fourth game of the franchise. Though they share an appearance, it has not been confirmed that Freddy and Fredbear are one and the same. Fredbear was a spring lock animatronic, meaning someone could open and use the animatronic as a costume. The animatronic had two separate modes to allow this and to ensure that whoever was using it as a costume would not be injured by the mechanics of the animatronic portion.
However, there is controversy surrounding Fredbear. While the family diner was in operation, a child was forced by bullies to put his head in Fredbear's mouth, leading to the death of the child. This also resulted in the closing of Fredbear's Family Diner and the rebranding into Freddy Fazbear's Pizza shortly after.
Freddy is considered a taunting animatronic. In the game, he regularly moves around undetected, lurking in the shadows. This could easily appear in the movie and be used for classic jump scares as the animatronic appears suddenly from the shadows. He is the animatronic holding the microphone, meaning he's the front animal of the band, and that could be reflected in the movie. As the titular animatronic, it's also likely that we could see Freddy have a leadership-like position among the other animatronics.
Bonnie the Rabbit
Bonnie is a rabbit animatronic who's part of the group of mascots for Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Like Freddy, Bonnie is one of the original animatronics of the restaurant chain, though was replaced with a Toy version at one point. The rabbit animatronic is typically depicted as a bluish-purple in the games with a red bow tie.
The bluish-purple Bonnie iteration that is prominent in the games came with the opening of the pizzeria. However, after only four years, the animatronic was retired in favor of the Toy version. Like the Toy version of Freddy, Toy Bonnie featured bright red cheeks. The newer animatronic's appearance generally resembles a rabbit a bit more than the original Bonnie does.
Withered Bonnie is one of the animatronics that shows the most wear. Along with wires and parts missing, the Withered form of the animatronic is missing an arm, has a bent ear, and does not have true eyes. Instead, in this state, the animatronic has the glowing red lights that would normally illuminate the eyes. Like Freddy, when the franchise moves away from the Toy animatronics, Bonnie is refurbished and is regularly used again until the franchise closes for the second time.
Bonnie is the first animatronic to strike
As an animatronic, Bonnie's first iteration was introduced when Fredbear's Family Diner opened. Referred to as Spring Bonnie, this first animatronic was yellowish in color and sported a purple bowtie. Spring Bonnie has a spring lock mechanism that allows someone to hide inside the animatronic, which was used for nefarious purposes by series antagonist William Afton.
Bonnie is the guitarist of the band. The animatronic is considered the most active of the bunch, regularly seeking out anyone in the pizzeria to kill. Bonnie is also typically the first animatronic to leave his position on stage in the first game, which could play a role in the film. He could start the chase, or simply be the first animatronic to show it can move and cause an initial bout of fear in the human characters.
It is important to note that despite commonly being the aggressor of the animatronics, Bonnie is also the first to admit defeat. While he will go after people within the pizzeria, if deterred he will step back and move on for the time being.
Chica the Chicken
Chica is a chicken animatronic that is one of the main mascots of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Like Freddy and Bonnie, Chica has gone through several iterations over the course of the franchise. Chica carries around another character, Mr. Cupcake. Chica's appearance is a bit more casual than the other animatronics. The yellow chicken sports a bib with the phrase "Let's Eat!!!" rather than a bow tie. Instead of an instrument or microphone, Chica holds a plate with a cupcake.
Like the others, she was replaced with a Toy model only a few years into the opening of the pizzeria. Chica and Toy Chica look incredibly different, even more so than the other animatronics and their Toy counterparts. Both have tufts on the top of their head that serve as feathers, and they're both yellow, but that's where the similarities between them end. While the original Chica has a beak, much like that of an actual chicken, Toy Chica has a much smaller beak. Like the other Toy versions, Toy Chica has a bright blush on her cheeks, though hers are pink. Her bib says "Let's Party!"
Withered Chica has significantly different features, made to look a bit more like the Toy Chica as if there was an initial attempt to salvage the animatronic. The beak is a bit different, looking more pointed rather than the rounded beak the original Chica features, and the Withered version is missing her hands. Like the other animatronics, Chica is restored from her Withered form when the Toy version is retired.
Chica and her pizza weakness
As the backup singer of the band, Chica doesn't always have her eyes on the prize. As the cupcake might suggest, Chica tends to go for food over a human. In the game, she's commonly seen with pizza or heard in the kitchen, scrounging in the garbage, which could be reflected in the movie. She could lurk in the kitchen as the human characters go to grab water or even just try to find a place to escape the other animatronics.
Chica also has a bit more patience than her other mascots. While Bonnie may not wait out someone, Chica will. She will stand in place, just waiting by a door, so long as she isn't distracted. This trait could appear in the film, especially if the human characters barricade themselves in an office or behind another door. Seeing Chica's face through a window in the door would be a great way to introduce the animatronic but also show that she's willing to wait the humans out and be more of a passive antagonist compared to the other animatronics.
Foxy the Pirate Fox
Foxy the Pirate Fox is an animatronic with a bit of a different story than the others. While Freddy, Bonnie, and Chica are all in a band together on a stage, Foxy has a stage of his own.
He is red in color, much like one could expect a fox to be. The pirate portion comes in because Foxy has a hook for a hand, and a worn-down stump as his other hand. He even wears an eye patch. However, his initial condition is a bit more concerning, as even before he is replaced with a Toy version and becomes Withered, Foxy looks a little worse for wear. His stumped hand doesn't appear intentional, there are holes in the metal covering his body, and his jaw appears broken due to the way it hangs.
When he was replaced as part of the Toy versions, his new animatronic counterpart was renamed Mangle. This was because it was decided that the original Foxy design was a bit too scary for the establishment, and Mangle was an attempt to rebrand the character into a more child-friendly animatronic. However, Mangle was in a similar condition to Foxy, even becoming a take-apart/BYO animatronic for children to play with because management didn't want to keep putting Mangle back together. Foxy did become Withered, showing even more signs of wear, though his appearance isn't too different from how he was initially presented. The fur on the animatronic is missing in more places, but he isn't missing limbs like some of his fellow mascots. Just like Freddy, Bonnie, and Chica, he was refurbished when the pizzeria discontinued the Toy line of animatronics.
Foxy is fast
Chica will wait you out, Freddy will taunt you, and Bonnie will show no mercy. But Foxy will run at you, faster than any of the other animatronics can. He tends to run down the hall in the first game, appearing out of thin air. This trait could easily appear in the movie as a way to jump-scare audiences and show how Foxy is different from the rest of the animatronics.
However, there is a fan theory, though many fans don't seem to agree, that Foxy is actually the good animatronic of the bunch. The theory, posted to Reddit, posits that Foxy is a good guy because the things he does in the game, like jump-scare the player and bang on walls, are to make sure the character is okay and to scare away any other animatronics that may be lurking, not to hurt the player. Fans in the comments were quick to disprove the theory, but that doesn't mean the filmmakers won't use the theory to their advantage.
The idea that one of the animatronics could be looking out for the human characters (like Glamrock Freddy in "Security Breach") would make an interesting dynamic to explore in the movie. It would give them someone on their side and present a way in which the characters could escape the clutches of the other animatronics.
Mr. Cupcake the Cupcake
Often held by Chica, Mr. Cupcake isn't the cupcake of every birthday child's dreams. With pink frosting, large eyes, and a single candle on top, the delicious treat can have a mind of its own on occasion. Usually with Chica and sitting on a plate, Mr. Cupcake does not accompany Chica while she performs on stage with the rest of the animatronic band.
When the rest of the animatronics are retired for the newer Toy versions, there is also a Toy animatronic of Mr. Cupcake. Gone are the buck teeth the original Mr. Cupcake sports, though the pink frosting and large eyes remain. There is not a Withered Mr. Cupcake featured in the games.
Mr. Cupcake's role in the games changes often, from sitting in the security office to being a moveable object players can throw in "Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted." This could be replicated in the movie, with the human characters not realizing the cupcake is an animatronic of its own until it's too late.
Mr. Cupcake could be the vengeful spirit
There has been much debate in the franchise over the last several years about who the vengeful spirit is and which animatronic it resides in. However, with the release of the game "Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach" in 2021, there has been renewed debate over who the vengeful spirit is. A fan theory, as proposed by the YouTube channel CathuresLabs, posits that Mr. Cupcake is actually the vengeful spirit of the franchise. The theory combines knowledge that the working title of the upcoming "Five Nights at Freddy's" movie was "Bad Cupcake," as seen in a film slate posted by Jason Blum on Twitter, and the cupcake's appearances across the franchise.
The video discusses the choice to use Mr. Cupcake for the working title of the movie rather than one of the other animatronics. The individuals in the video argue that it is unlike Scott Cawthon, the creator of the franchise, to select a title that doesn't have a "backhanded meaning," causing them to think more about a character that players may forget about.
Mr. Cupcake is also the animatronic that is already in the office during the game, seen sitting on a desk, or has its likeness in other objects present. While your goal is to prevent the other animatronics from entering the office, Mr. Cupcake is already there. This could be an indicator that the "worst" bad guy was hiding in plain sight all along.
Springtrap the Rabbit
Springtrap is an animatronic that appears in "Five Nights at Freddy's 3." He is thought to be an early version of Bonnie or another version of Spring Bonnie due to how Springtrap is referred to in "Five Nights at Freddy's 4."
Similar in color to the yellow Spring Bonnie animatronic but missing part of an ear and in a fairly degraded state like Withered Bonnie, Springtrap has a very damaged appearance. There are holes throughout the animatronic's body, and it is even missing the metal covering on most of its legs and feet. Springtrap also doesn't have the bow tie seen in other rabbit animatronics in the series. While Withered Bonnie is missing its eyes, Springtrap does have them despite the animatronic's condition. Unlike some of the other animatronics, which have mouths that move, Springtrap's mouth is locked into a wide smile during gameplay, showing off the animatronic's teeth.
Springtrap's name comes from the springlock mechanism inside it. Like the others with the mechanism, the mechanic components inside are modified to allow for someone to be inside the animatronic. However, the spring locks in Springtrap regularly malfunctioned, causing people to be trapped inside. This could make for an interesting sequence in the film, especially if one of the human characters is trying to hide from the other animatronics.
Springtrap has trouble with noise
In "Five Nights at Freddy's 3," Springtrap teases the player, staying in the shadows and peeking around corners and doors. This makes his appearance known while adding a lingering feeling of dread as you wait for his attack. This could be utilized in the movie, with Springtrap being an animatronic that lurks rather than directly goes after the human characters the way Bonnie might.
Like Chica, Springtrap does have a weakness. He is attracted to noise, which can both work for and against the player. If the player makes noise near Springtrap in the third game — particularly the sound of Balloon Boy — Springtrap will follow it. However, if there is other noise around, it may distract Springtrap from going after the player. This could be used by the human characters in the movie to distract Springtrap and give them a chance to flee the animatronic.
Springtrap is the main animatronic and antagonist of the third game, and the other animatronics appear as spirit-like entities. His inclusion in the movie could hint at where future movies could go, storylines that could be centered in future movies, and other variations of animatronics that could appear.