Five Nights At Freddy’s Movie Paid Off A Decade-Long Fan Joke With 1 Brutal Death Scene

Five Nights At Freddy’s includes plenty of references to the original videogame series of the same name, as well as some sly nods to the fanbase that helped make the games such a success in the first place. The film adaptation takes many elements from the original series and incorporates them into the film, including several iconic visual cues from the series that appear in the movie. It’s a treat for long-time fans, who previously had to piece together the overarching villain of Five Nights At Freddy’s by searching for clues hidden among the scares.

Some of the best references are actually reserved for the fanbase as a whole, however, highlighting how much the filmmakers are aware of the fandom that helped propel Five Nights At Freddy’s characters into the cultural zeitgeist. Some of the more subtle references in the film are even directly aimed at fan-created memes that have taken root within the fanbase. One of the best of these easter eggs gives a minor character a brutal death while slyly referencing a nickname given to his killer by the Five Nights At Freddy’s fans.

Carl’s Death Is A Subtle Reference To The FNAF Fandom’s Name For Mr. Cupcake

Five Nights At Freddy’s features a pretty sly reference to the fan nickname for Mr. Cupcake being Carl, with the cinematic version of the monstrous machine killing a character with that same name. In Five Nights At Freddy’s, Carl is one of the people hired by Jane to trash Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza Place. The intent is to cost her nephew Mike his job as security at the closed business. While making a mess in the kitchen, Carl found himself cornered by Five Nights At Freddy’s animatronic Chica. Chica then lets Mr. Cupcake loose so it can kill Carl.

Carl being killed by Mr. Cupcake is a clever little nod to the fandom’s nickname for Mr. Cupcake. In the game, Chica is often seen holding Mr. Cupcake, with watchful players capable of predicting her movements based on the presence of Mr. Cupcake in her hands. Parts of the fan community have referred to Mr. Cupcake as “Carl,” giving the minor figure a bit more personality. Mr. Cupcake killing a Carl in the feature-length film can be seen as a nod to this nickname, and is a clever easter egg for long-time fans of the series.

Five Nights At Freddy’s Movie References Several Other Decade-Old Fan Memes

Five Nights At Freddy’s has a committed fanbase, which helped propel Five Nights At Freddy’s to box office success. As a result, it’s not surprising to see the film include references to the original games and the fandom that erupted around it. Carl isn’t the only fan meme that gets referenced in the film. Other fan-created elements like a discarded Sparky the Dog animatronic can be seen in the film, which references a character invented by fans. The film also brings the band Living Tombstones back for a new version of their Five Nights At Freddy’s song for the soundtrack.

The band gained notoriety within the Five Nights At Freddy’s fanbase in 2014 for their version of the restaurant’s title track. Five Nights At Freddy’s is full of these kinds of easter eggs, making the film something of a scavenger hunt for committed fans. With Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 reportedly on the way, it’s likely that the film will feature more references to the games. Five Nights At Freddy’s fans will likely have plenty more easter eggs to keep an eye out for.