Emma Tammi

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Emma Tammi
Emma Tammi by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Tammi in 2025
Born (1982-02-26) February 26, 1982 (age 43)
Alma mater Wesleyan University
OccupationDirector

Emma Tammi (born February 26, 1982[ citation needed ]) is an American filmmaker. She is best known for directing the horror films Five Nights at Freddy's (2023) and its upcoming sequel Five Nights at Freddy's 2 (2025).

Contents

Early life

Tammi was born in Middletown, Connecticut and raised in New York City, with both of her parents being actors and graduated from Wesleyan University. [1] She is of Finnish descent through her father, Tom Tammi  [ fi ], who immigrated to the United States from Finland as a child in 1949. [2] She interned with Robert Altman. [1]

Career

In 2014, Tammi co-directed Fair Chase, a documentary about long-distance running, with Alex Cullen. In 2016, she co-directed Election Day: Lens Across America with Henry Jacobsen, which she described as her "first horror film". [3]

In January 2017, at the Sundance Film Festival, producer Chris Alender, who also produced Fair Chase, approached Tammi with a script for what would eventually become The Wind , her solo feature debut. [3] [4] The Wind premiered in 2018 at the Toronto International Film Festival. [4] It received mostly positive reviews, with Variety calling it a "hugely promising debut", and RogerEbert.com calling Tammi "commendably unsparing", though some critics found the narrative thin. [5] [6] [7]

In 2022, Jason Blum approached Tammi about directing a film adaptation of the Five Nights at Freddy's video game series. She had not previously played the games. [8] In October that year, Variety announced Tammi's involvement. [9] Five Nights at Freddy's premiered in 2023 to positive fan reaction and grossed $297 million at the box office, as well as being Blumhouse's biggest ever opening weekend. [10] [11] This also makes it one of the highest grossing films ever directed by a woman. It received mixed-to-negative reviews, though some critics praised aspects of Tammi's direction, with RogerEbert.com saying the best parts "reflect Tammi's attention to evocative details". [12] [13] [14] [15]

In 2024, a sequel, Five Nights at Freddy's 2 was announced, with Tammi returning. [10] The film is scheduled to be released in December 2025. [10]

Filmography

YearTitleNotes
2014Fair Chaseco-directed with Alex Cullen; short film
2016Election Day: Lens Across Americaco-directed with Henry Jacobsen; documentary film
2018 The Wind Directorial debut
Into the Dark 2 episodes
2023 Five Nights at Freddy's
2025 Five Nights at Freddy's 2

References

  1. 1 2 Yamoto, Jen (2019-04-17). "'The Wind' director Emma Tammi on her supernatural western horror film". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  2. Ruohisto, Wilma [in Finnish] (21 November 2018). "Ohjaaja Emma Tammen elokuvaa esitetään pian maailmalla – hän voisi olla Suomessa supertähti, ellei isovanhempien päätös olisi muuttanut elämän kulkua" [Director Emma Tammi's film will soon be shown around the world – she could have been a superstar in Finland, if not for a decision her grandparents made that changed the course of her life]. Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  3. 1 2 Tammi, Emma (2019-04-12). "Alone in the Wilderness". Talkhouse. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  4. 1 2 Saito, Stephen (2018-10-01). "Interview: Caitlin Gerard, Emma Tammi and Teresa Sutherland on Following the Call of "The Wind"". The Moveable Fest. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  5. Kiang, Jessica (2018-09-15). "Toronto Film Review: 'The Wind'". Variety. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
  6. Catsoulis, Jeanette (2019-04-04). "'The Wind' Review: Who's That Knocking at My Log Cabin Door? (Published 2019)" . Retrieved 2025-07-29.
  7. Abrams, Simon. "The Wind movie review & film summary (2019) | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
  8. Perkins, James (October 23, 2023). "Emma Tammi | FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S". Starburst Magazine.
  9. Vary, Adam B. (2022-10-05). "'Five Nights at Freddy's' Adaptation Set at Blumhouse, With Emma Tammi Directing". Variety. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  10. 1 2 3 Couch, Aaron (2024-10-01). "Blumhouse Giving Away Trip to 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2' Premiere (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  11. "Five Nights at Freddy's". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  12. Winkelman, Natalia (2023-10-26). "'Five Nights at Freddy's' Review: Creepypizza (Published 2023)" . Retrieved 2025-07-29.
  13. Abrams, Simon. "Five Nights at Freddy's movie review (2023) | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
  14. Owen, Phil. "Five Nights At Freddy's Movie Review - Too Much Plot". GameSpot. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
  15. Guignol, Penny (2023-10-26). "Movie Review: Five Nights at Freddy's". No But Listen. Retrieved 2025-07-29.