Chuck E. Cheese’s discontinued Animatronics isn’t because of FNAF
NBCFive Nights at Freddy’s has become 2023’s most successful horror movie with the video game animatronics coming to life. Since the success of FNAF, famed children’s entertainment center Chuck E Cheese has removed its longstanding animatronics.
The movie adaptation of the video game focused on Freddy Fazbeear’s Pizza Parlor becoming a thing of nightmares. At the heart of it were its original animatronics that were well-loved by its patrons until missing children forced the restaurant to close. In reality, the animatronics are haunted due to the original killer hiding his victims’ bodies within them.
Freddy, Foxy the Pirate, Chica the Chicken, and Bonnie the Rabbit are cuddly until they aren’t. One can’t help but compare them to the real-life Chuck E Cheese animatronics. Originally established in 1977, the children’s restaurant and entertainment center also had its robotic singing mascots.
With FNAF having similar business ties to Chuck E Cheese, the franchise announced it would get rid of its animatronics mascots for good. Despite popular belief, it’s not because of the horror movie.
Chuck E Cheese is moving into modern times
Despite the success of FNAF, a Chuck E Cheese representative reveals its decision to remove its animatronic characters is long overdue to help propel the franchise into the future.
According to TMZ, Head of Communications Alejandra Brady explained the rumors are completely false. She says the decision to remove the animatronics has been in the work for years, and the company felt live performers for the Chuck E. Live! Show would be better for customers and patrons. The company has been looking for ways to adapt to the 21st century.
“More than a billion people have come through the doors of Chuck E. Cheese,” CEO David McKillips told KTLA5. “We’ve been phasing out the animatronics over the last couple of years, because every generation has had their own Chuck E. Cheese.”
Just like FNAF, Munch’s Make Believe Band would come alive and perform at kid’s birthday parties or during set times throughout the day. Its characters included Chuck E. Cheese as the singer of the band, Helen Henny as another singer, Mr. Munch as the keyboardist, Jasper T. Jowls as the guitarist, Chef Pasqually as the drummer, and newcomer Bella Bunny as the tambourine player.
For now, only one location in the U.S. will have the animatronics. Thanks to a devoted fan, the Northridge location will be the only Chuck E Cheese with the original animatronics.
For more on the film, check out the below articles:
- Five Nights at Freddy’s review round-up
- Five Nights at Freddy’s trailer, cast, and plot
- How to watch FNaF: Is it streaming?
- How long is Five Nights at Freddy’s?
- Emma Tammi on staying faithful to the game
- Which YouTubers are in Five Nights at Freddy’s?
- Looking out for FNaF Easter eggs
- Markiplier puts Freddy’s rumor to bed
- Why the FNaF animatronics’ eyes glow
- Five Nights at Freddy’s ending explained
- How Donnie Darko and Casino inspired FNaF
- Who dies in Five Nights at Freddy’s?
- Will there be a Five Nights at Freddy’s 2?
- Why director wanted content creators in the movie
- Five Nights at Freddy’s box office
- 5 films if you love Five Nights at Freddy’s
- Fight breaks out at early screening
- Five Nights at Freddy’s Rotten Tomatoes score
- All animatronics in the FNAF movie
- Differences between movie and game lore
- Best Five Nights at Freddy’s Easter eggs