‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 3’ to Add Gary Dauberman as Screenwriter, Studio Announces

Blumhouse and Atomic Monster have tapped screenwriter Gary Dauberman to write the script for Five Nights at Freddy’s 3, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The announcement places Dauberman, a writer credited with work on major horror franchises, into the next stage of the Blumhouse Atomic Monster video game film pipeline focused on the Five Nights at Freddy’s brand.

The new credit is expected to shape the third film’s approach to the story drawn from the popular survival horror video game franchise. Dauberman is described by The Hollywood Reporter as the writer behind the It movies and the Annabelle movies, bringing experience in adapting horror properties into theatrical features for broad audiences.

Dauberman’s involvement follows the franchise’s earlier entries produced under the Blumhouse Atomic Monster banner. The Hollywood Reporter characterizes the move as bringing “fresh blood” to the ongoing film series, with the script development stage now underway for Five Nights at Freddy’s 3.

While details about the film’s plot, character roster, or release timing were not provided in the The Hollywood Reporter report, the screenwriting assignment indicates that the studio is continuing to staff the project for the next phase of development. For readers tracking creative continuity, Dauberman’s horror writing background suggests an emphasis on genre mechanics and audience recognition, though the report did not specify how his prior credits would translate into the third installment’s storyline.

The casting of a new screenwriter can also affect production schedules, since script drafts and revisions often drive downstream decisions including casting, set design, and effects planning. In the absence of an announced timeline in the report, the practical effect right now is centered on script development and studio planning rather than on any immediate on-screen release.

The film industry’s video game adaptations have increasingly relied on recognizable horror writers and established production teams to bridge fan expectations and theatrical pacing. With Dauberman now attached for Five Nights at Freddy’s 3, Blumhouse and Atomic Monster appear to be continuing that model by aligning the project with a writer associated with multiple high-profile horror titles.

The Hollywood Reporter’s announcement does not address whether the project’s director or other creative roles will change, or whether additional writers are involved. It also does not specify if the film will undergo further script vetting with additional collaborators before filming begins. That means the next confirmed steps for audiences and industry observers would be further casting, director updates, and any official release-date announcement.