Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 has scared up an undeniably strong debut, topping the domestic box office this weekend with an estimated $63 million. The sequel is setting multiple new records for a post-Thanksgiving, early December horror opening, a timeframe that is traditionally quiet for theaters. Industry outlets are noting that this is not only one of the biggest horror debuts of the year but also the strongest PG-13 horror opening and the largest first-weekend December horror launch on record.
The film is rewriting the history books, surpassing previous early December debuts from major studio releases and helping push the overall weekend box office to one of the best levels seen this time of year. Even with mixed critical notices, the sheer size of the turnout and the energy online suggest that the core FNAF fanbase and younger moviegoers showed up in force, driving strong word-of-mouth heading into the holidays.
At the center of that success for many fans is Piper Rubio’s return as Abby. Audiences are highlighting how much more depth and confidence she brings to the sequel, naturally anchoring the emotional side of the story. In this installment, Abby is an older, more self-aware pre-teen who is still processing the trauma of the first film while trying to navigate school, family, and her lingering connection to the animatronics. Early reactions have praised how this evolution gives Rubio more room to play, allowing her to move between quiet, introspective moments and intense, high-stakes horror beats without losing the character’s innocence or curiosity.
Reviewers who appreciate the film’s character work point out that Abby’s perspective is a key reason the sequel feels closer to an Amblin-style horror-adventure, grounding the lore and jump scares in a kid’s very real fears and loyalties. Fans are also responding to how much closer Abby is to her brother Mike this time around, with several noting that their bond feels more believable and lived-in, raising the emotional stakes whenever the animatronics close in.
Among the fanbase, Rubio is quickly becoming one of the franchise’s breakout stars. Social media posts and forum threads are calling her performance as Abby one of their favorite child turns in a horror film in years. Commenters frequently single out her ability to balance the wide-eyed wonder of a kid who still considers these animatronics “friends” with the haunted edge of someone who has seen far too much, making her reactions feel both eerie and deeply sympathetic.
Even before the sequel opened, the fandom was buzzing about her enthusiasm, amplified by stories from director Emma Tammi about an animatronic cameo that made Rubio “lose her mind” on set—a detail fans took as proof that she is just as invested in the lore as they are. Her growing online presence, including an Instagram account proudly promoting the film, has helped cement her status as a young horror favorite with a dedicated genre fanbase behind her.
In recent interviews, Piper has made it clear that she is not just leading the movie but is a genuine fan of the franchise. She has described how surreal it feels to watch a once-indie horror game grow into a global phenomenon that she is now a part of. She speaks about re-entering Abby’s world with a stronger sense of who the character is, drawing on real-life experiences to ground even the scariest scenes while keeping a clear line between her own fears and Abby’s.
She has also been openly excited about the sequel’s deeper lore, new animatronics, and the way returning and new horror veterans elevate the material around her. That mix of an organically strong performance, visible gratitude, and authentic fandom has made audiences especially protective of Abby and enthusiastic about seeing where Piper Rubio can take the character in future installments.
The first film proved that a devoted fanbase could power a game adaptation to major box office numbers, but this historic opening suggests that was not a fluke. With Abby now firmly established as the emotional anchor and Piper Rubio winning praise from both critics and fans, the franchise has a young lead who can carry future stories while the animatronics deliver the spectacle. For us here at Trevor Decker News, that combination makes Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 one of the most hopeful genre success stories of the year.