As reported by Deadline (opens in new tab), actors Matthew Lillard (opens in new tab) and Josh Hutcherson (opens in new tab) have joined the cast of the upcoming Five Nights at Freddy's movie. Later, popular FNAF streamer Dawko (opens in new tab) was given the opportunity to reveal their specific roles in the film during a St. Jude charity stream. Hutcherson will be playing original FNAF protagonist Mike Schmidt, the night shift security guard, while Lillard will be playing Freddy Fazbear's Pizza founder William Afton.
Lillard is perhaps most famous for playing Shaggy in the live action Scooby Doo movies, as well as in many animated adaptations and Multiversus. The circle is now complete, with Lillard making his heel turn to terrorize the youth in the name of some nefarious plot.
Lillard is also just a fantastic character actor at the height of his powers, an S-tier "hey, it's that guy" who improves whatever he's in. Whether he's hamming it up as Cereal Killer (opens in new tab) in Hackers or cracking under interrogation for a murder he didn't commit in Twin Peaks: The Return (opens in new tab), it's always a good time to get your Lillard on.
Aside from Lillard, you may recognize Hutcherson from his role as Peeta in the Hunger Games movies. I could definitely see him pulling off the "hapless everyman who stumbles into a cursed security guard job" his role demands. Dawko's stream also revealed that actress Piper Rubio (opens in new tab) will play Hutcherson's younger sister in the movie, while Mary Stuart Masterson (opens in new tab) will portray everyone's favorite FNAF character, "Unnamed Female Villain."
The FNAF movie will be directed by Emma Tammi, whose previous works include Blood Moon (opens in new tab) and The Wind (opens in new tab). I have no idea how this thing is going to turn out and also have no expectations for or preconceived notions about it. But, through the simple act of cutting Matthew Lillard a check, the FNAF movie has already secured itself a place on the right side of history.