Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 did more than stage a nostalgic Scream reunion for Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich; it quietly rearranged the board for a much more personal conflict in a third film.
Lillard’s William Afton had already been established as the murderous architect of the franchise in the first movie, but the sequel’s focus on his legacy and unfinished influence suggests his presence is far from contained, even when his body is trapped inside the Springtrap suit.
By the end of FNAF 2, the film introduces Michael Afton, Vanessa’s brother, as a direct extension of William’s ideology, cementing the idea that the true threat is the persistence of his will rather than just his physical return.
A post‑credits voice message from Skeet Ulrich’s Henry Emily to Mike confirms that the battle is only beginning, as Henry admits his role in creating the animatronics and warns that the Marionette is still active, pointing straight toward a new escalation.
Cosmopolitan’s breakdown of the ending highlights how the original animatronics had been keeping William’s Springtrap body sealed away and how their departure frees his spirit to seek another outlet, which practically begs for Lillard to come back in a more unleashed, supernatural form.
At the same time, Henry hinting that he still has animatronic parts that might help Mike fight back almost reads like a mission briefing for FNAF 3, with Ulrich’s character positioned as the guilty partner finally stepping into the light.
This structure places both Lillard and Ulrich at the center of the next chapter’s emotional stakes. Rather than background lore figures, FNAF 2 sets them up as opposing forces tied to the same sin: one who weaponized children’s wonder for murder and one who helped build the machines that made it possible.
“Bigger Roles” Tease: What Emma Tammi And Deals Hint About FNAF 3
Director Emma Tammi has now fanned that speculation by teasing that Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich would have larger roles in a potential Five Nights at Freddy’s 3, a point repeated across outlets like Screen Rant, IMDb’s news feed, and viral social posts.
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (Credit: Universal Pictures)
Tammi framed their return as something she expects would continue the momentum built by FNAF 2, implying that the third film would lean harder on their dynamic rather than using them as background players.
That aligns with how frequently his William Afton and Springtrap have been teased as the franchise’s long‑term anchor, rather than a villain dispatched early for shock value. Skeet Ulrich has also reportedly confirmed a deal to return, which suggests Henry Emily is not meant to remain a disembodied warning voice but a central human counterweight to Afton.
Fandom circles have been vocal about wanting an actual confrontation between Henry and William, often pointing to Henry’s famous “connection terminated” speech from the game lore as the kind of moral reckoning they expect on screen.
Some fans express concern that Tammi’s hesitation over guaranteeing direct interaction between the two characters could lead to missed opportunities, especially after marketing leaned so heavily on the Scream reunion factor.
At the same time, Tammi’s interviews with outlets like Checkpoint Gaming show how carefully she balances fan service and story needs, stressing that she wants to deliver what the films require while still acknowledging the community’s expectations.
That approach makes it more plausible that a third film would give Lillard and Ulrich more layered material: Henry wrestling with guilt and responsibility, and William escalating his cruelty through new animatronic nightmares and psychological games.
Horror Icons, Fan Pressure, And The Road To Five Nights At Freddy’s 3
The prospect of Lillard’s Springtrap and Ulrich’s Henry moving to the forefront taps into a wider cultural fascination with horror icons returning for long arcs, something Blumhouse has leaned on with franchises like Halloween.
Lillard has already spoken at conventions about how much the role of William Afton means to him, mentioning that his own kids urged him to take the part because of the character’s stature in the games.
That personal investment, combined with his history playing memorable genre villains, raises expectations that FNAF 3 could finally position Springtrap alongside horror mainstays like Michael Myers or Freddy Krueger if the script gives him enough focus.
On the other side, Ulrich’s Henry offers a different kind of horror presence: the haunted creator forced to confront what his inventions became.
His post‑credits message to Mike already paints him as a man trying to make amends by arming others with the tools to fight back, which opens the door to a story about choosing responsibility over denial after decades of silence.
If FNAF 3 follows through, audiences could get a rare genre pairing where the central conflict is not just killer versus final girl, but architect of evil versus remorseful collaborator.
Fan reaction online shows both excitement and anxiety over that possibility. Threads on r/fivenightsatfreddys are filled with calls for substantial screen time for Springtrap, warnings against sidelining Henry, and frustration at the idea that the two might never directly share a scene.
For many, bringing Lillard and Ulrich back only to keep them on parallel tracks rather than confronting each other would feel like a broken promise, especially after FNAF 2 finally reunited them under the same franchise banner.
From a business and franchise standpoint, leaning into their chemistry and history is a logical way to keep the series fresh while still grounded in game lore.
Universal and Blumhouse have already seen how potent nostalgia can be for horror revivals, and pairing that with the passionate FNAF fanbase gives FNAF 3 a strong hook if production moves forward.
The sequel’s twist ending, combined with Tammi’s “bigger roles” tease and the reported multi‑film agreements, all point toward a third movie that finally puts Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich at the center of the nightmare rather than at its edges.
As of early 2026, there is no credible public evidence that Finn Wolfhard is dating anyone, and the actor himself has repeatedly described his relationship status as single.
In interviews tied to the end of Stranger Things and the next phase of his career, he has framed that status as a conscious decision rather than a temporary dry spell.
In August 2025, Finn spoke to Variety about how much time and energy his projects require, saying that the pace of his work makes it feel like “not the time” to commit to a relationship.
People and Yahoo Entertainment both highlighted that he used the word “deliberate” to describe staying single, suggesting that he is intentionally holding off on a serious partner while finishing Stranger Things and setting up his post-Hawkins path.
Cosmopolitan’s 2025 feature on the Stranger Things cast’s real-life romantic lives echoed this, summarizing Finn as “seemingly single” while pointing out that he is more focused on figuring himself out and building stability than chasing dates.
A short clip shared on social media at the end of 2025, breaking down who the Stranger Things cast is reportedly dating, also labeled Finn as single, reinforcing what he has already said himself.
Of course, fans always wonder if someone that private might secretly be seeing someone away from cameras. Still, no reputable outlet has reported a new partner, and sites that track celebrity relationship timelines, such as Parade and dating history databases, list him as currently single.
With the information available in 2025 and early 2026, the most accurate answer is that Finn Wolfhard is not publicly dating anyone and has chosen to keep it that way for now.
From Elsie Richter To Now: A Relationship Timeline Fans Still Obsess Over
Much of the curiosity around who Finn might be dating in 2026 comes from his past relationship with actress Elsie Richter, which was one of the few times he let the public see any of his love life.
Elsie, known for projects like Doll & Em, was first linked to Finn in early 2021, when the two were spotted together in public and later appeared in cozy photos shared to social media.
By June 2021, their relationship was “Instagram official” through now-deleted posts, and outlets like Briefly and J-14 cataloged the sightings, from an NBA game appearance to rare couple photos that quickly circulated among Stranger Things fans. That burst of visibility did not last long.
Finn Wolfhard (Credit: NBC)
As Finn later explained to The Washington Post, he felt pressured into confirming the relationship after a fan threatened to leak personal information if he did not acknowledge Elsie publicly. The incident became a key example of how intense fandom can cross boundaries, especially for young stars.
By 2022 and 2023, sightings of the two had practically disappeared. Elsie did not attend the Stranger Things season 4 premiere, which sparked a wave of breakup rumors online, and fan accounts started to assume they had quietly gone their separate ways.
Sites that track celebrity relationships now list the pairing as a past relationship, usually dated around 2021 to 2022.
More recent coverage often notes that it is unclear exactly when the relationship ended, because neither Finn nor Elsie has addressed a breakup directly.
Articles from late 2024 and 2025 point out that he appears to be single and that he has repeatedly emphasized privacy, boundaries, and a slower, more thoughtful approach to romance.
That combination of mystery, a confirmed past girlfriend, and a huge fandom explains why the question “Who is Finn Wolfhard dating now?” remains one of the most searched topics attached to his name.
Why Finn Is Choosing Single Life As Stranger Things Ends
Finn’s choice to stay single in 2025 and into 2026 is closely tied to the timing of his career. After spending nearly a decade on Stranger Things, he is stepping out of Hawkins at the same moment he is taking on more music projects, directing work, and film roles, which creates a hectic schedule that leaves little room for a traditional relationship.
In a May 2025 Cosmopolitan interview, he said that he has never been a casual dater, stressing that he values real conversation and emotional connection over short-term flings.
He described himself as someone who would rather wait for a partner who feels stable, kind, and grounded, and admitted that the industry can make that search harder, not easier. People’s August 2025 profile picked up on that theme, underlining that he is actually at peace with staying single while he works and travels so much.
That history, combined with the fan threats he described from the Elsie era, makes his current focus on privacy and emotional safety feel understandable rather than distant.
Looking ahead to the rest of 2026, most outlets expect him to keep prioritizing work, friendships, and creative projects over a public romance.
Recent interviews show him more excited about directing, music, and carefully chosen acting roles than about becoming half of a celebrity couple, and he has made it clear that any future relationship will be on his terms, at his own pace, and likely far from social media feeds.
For fans hoping for a big dating reveal, that might feel anticlimactic. Yet for Finn Wolfhard, who has grown up in front of the camera, choosing to remain single, protect his boundaries, and wait for something that truly fits looks less like a mystery and more like a very intentional reset.
