Five Nights At Freddy’s has achieved cult status due to its unnerving premise and unexpected jump scares. When you feel like you have succeeded in the game, the plot thickens when the possessed animatronics come to get you at the end.
People spent hours playing this game, even in the despair of not winning.
Soon, Hollywood realized that the quirky horror game would make for a thrilling plot with an indie aesthetic. The movie adaptation was announced last year, and since then, it has experienced several challenges in its course.
By mid-July of 2023, the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTR) announced that they were going on a strike following a failed negotiation and mutual agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The ongoing strike has obstructed several projects in production. However, this intervention and demand for their rights amidst the growing influence of AI was a necessary step in Hollywood. Hence, FNaF actors are also standing in solidarity with the SAG strikes for complete agency and better copyright provisions for their work.
Why Are FNaF Actors on Strike?
The FNaF movie is a gift to the fans of the game, converting it into a survival horror genre. Needless to say, fans were ecstatic about the terrifying adventures of security guard Mike, who is appointed as the night guard at the children’s food joint Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza.
However, the inception of the SAG strikes had a significant impact on independent movies, even though the strike was primarily intended for the huge production houses.
The Screen Actors Guild represents more than 160,000 actors, anchors, presenters, and more. They are fighting for basic demands of fair compensation and proper equity in remunerations between the production’s profit and the actor’s salary while abiding by ethical working conditions and integrating inclusivity and diversity.
The AMPTP has not been able to implement these demands while negotiating the fair use of AI and the actors’ consent to use their creativity.
This has resulted in the hindrance of several productions. Meanwhile, the actors stand in support of the strike, refraining from attending press conferences, promotions, and conventions. The post-production activities have seen a severe decline in the past couple of months.
The actors from Five Night at Freddy’s are abiding by the same code, as they refuse to appear in promotional activities and divulge details about the behind-the-scenes, even after the movie has already been released.
One of the actors, Kat Conner Sterling, who plays the character of Max, addressed the fans that she stands with the union and hopes the negotiations go well.
Netizens commented on the ongoing strike and its impact on FNaF–
“It’s a Blumhouse movie; this is probably one of the larger budgets they’ve shot on. Usually, it’s $3 million to $6 million and a four-week shoot.
This film took $36 million and eight weeks, which puts it at 180% of their next most expensive film at $20 million.
Bottom line: the strike could end in January or March, and we could still get the movie by next Halloween.
Edit: The WGA strike could and would have a more significant impact than the SAG one. Writing is the part that takes years, but at least we have the base to build from. Sequels don’t work without good foundations.”
“Any works-in-progress will be paused, very few would be cancelled (most likely projects in early development).
Any PR-related content to such projects, such as interviews, talk shows, etc will be cancelled or delayed.
This affects any project touched by SAG or WGA.”
“The actors’ strike is basically going to shutdown Hollywood for a while. Press tours aren’t allowed, meaning films won’t be marketed much, any films entering production are going to be stopped due to the strike demanding no acting can be done. This along with the writers’ strike is going to make for an interesting next few months, hopefully it leads to better pay and compensation for writers and actors.”
However, the strike by the Writers Guild of America and actors’ strikes have not affected the box-office collection of FNaF, as the movie was widely perceived as a good, thrilling watch for the Halloween weekend.
In fact, the Josh Hutcherson starrer has earned over $78 million in North America and $130 million globally, completely outdoing expectations and breaking several records.
What are your thoughts on the strike? Let us know in the comments section below.
