Five Nights at Freddy’s biggest cameo may be hiding in plain sight

Five Nights at Freddy's
(Image credit: Universal)

There are so many Five Nights at Freddy’s Easter eggs and cameos that we can barely keep track, but a new theory suggests we may have missed the biggest one. 

Warning, we’re getting into spoiler territory for the new film from here on out, so make sure you’ve seen Five Nights at Freddy’s before reading on. 

Still here? Well, let’s get into it. The theory revolves around the character of Doug, who is Aunt Jane’s very nervous-looking lawyer in the movie. While he’s pretty unassuming, some fans have become convinced that he’s actually a major character in the Five Nights at Freddy’s canon: Henry.

Henry Emily is the founder of Fazbear Entertainment and William Afton’s business partner. While a bigger character in the novels than in the games, he does appear during Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator where he guides players through a cassette player to salvage animatronics. 

I've got 9 to 2 odds that Doug is actually Henry. from r/fivenightsatfreddys

It’s unclear where the link to Doug comes in, but viewers have realized he's very close in age to Henry, and he's also become a bit of a fan-favorite. Posting on Reddit, one fan wrote, "I've got 9 to 2 odds that Doug is actually Henry" before adding that they hope he returns in a potential sequel.

Other Redditors were in favor of the theory, sharing their own thoughts on the potential. "I hope he has some significance," replied one. "He was so iconic and funny and had decent screen time for the lawyer of a side character." A second added: "My friend and I had this same theory after watching. We noticed he seems to only react to the word 'Freddy's' and if Afton can call himself Steve, who's to say Henry didn't do the same?"

"It would be so funny if Doug ends up being Henry," wrote another. "I need a whole spin-off movie with Doug." Better Call Doug, anyone?

However, others seem pretty convinced that Henry might actually be Mike and Abby’s dad. We’ll have to just see if this is explored in a potential sequel. While not confirmed yet, the Five Nights at Freddy’s post-credits scene certainly seems to set it up, and the huge box office numbers all but confirm Blumhouse is eyeing a return.

For more scares, here are our guides to the best horror movies of all time and all the new horror movies on the way.

Fay Watson
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at 12DOVE, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.