Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 just debunked a popular theory about Vanessa. Based on the video game series from Scott Cawthon, who co-wrote the script, the 2023 film stars Josh Hutcherson as Mike, a troubled security guard who begins working at the abandoned Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza and discovers that its animatronic mascots are possessed by the souls of murdered children.

Five Nights at Freddy’s cast also includes Elizabeth Lail as Vanessa, a local police officer who, towards Five Nights at Freddy’s ending, reveals that she is the daughter of the franchise’s main villain, William Afton (Matthew Lillard), a serial killer responsible for kidnapping and murdering the children, hiding their bodies inside the animatronics and controlling their souls.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2‘s story is set one year after the events of the first film, and since then, tales of what transpired at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza have transformed into cheesy local legends. Meanwhile, Mike and Vanessa have hidden the truth from his 11-year-old sister, Abby (Piper Rubio), about what really happened to her animatronic friends.

However, when Abby secretly reunites with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, it triggers a chilling chain of events that uncovers sinister truths about the real origins of Freddy’s and awakens a long-buried nightmare that has remained hidden for generations.

New cast members include Mckenna Grace, Wayne Knight, and Teo Briones, who have been cast in undisclosed roles. While there was a popular fan theory regarding one of these new cast members and Vanessa, it has now been officially debunked.

Five Nights At Freddy’s 2’s Trailer Confirms McKenna Grace Isn’t Playing A Young Vanessa

She’s Playing A New Character

There was a popular fan theory that Mckenna Grace was playing a young Vanessa in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, and that the sequel would feature flashbacks to her childhood, revealing more about William Afton’s history. However, that doesn’t appear to be the case based on the new Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 trailer.

The trailer shows Mckenna Grace’s character, along with a group of teenagers, visiting the original Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, and she mentions that nobody has been there for decades. This seemingly indicates that Grace isn’t playing a young Vanessa, as was previously theorized, and is instead playing an entirely new character created for the sequel.

Although McKenna Grace seemingly isn’t playing a young Vanessa, the sequel should still incorporate prequel elements. The trailer also briefly shows the Yellow Rabbit’s hand reaching for a knife.

This costume is worn by William Afton, and although the sH๏τ might depict him as Springtrap, the condition of the hand suggests it’s more likely the Yellow Rabbit. If so, this scene in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is probably a flashback, highlighting Afton’s early days inside the animatronic suit.