Five Nights at Freddy's -- a movie based on the popular horror video game series -- is creeping closer to theaters and the Peacock streaming service.

The cast of the flick -- which debuts a few days before Halloween -- includes Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games), Elizabeth Lail (You) and Matthew Lillard (Scream). Hutcherson plays Mike, who starts working as a night security guard at an abandoned theme restaurant, per Universal Pictures. A trailer reveals some of the animatronic-related frights that await.

Five Nights at Freddy's is produced by Blumhouse and directed by Emma Tammi. The film is among the latest video game adaptations to reach audiences (it joins a notable one, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, on Peacock). Here's when fans can tune in, plus why you may want to use a VPN if you're streaming it.

When to watch Five Nights at Freddy's on Peacock

Viewers in the US can catch the scary movie on Peacock starting at 8 p.m. ET on Oct. 26. It's scheduled to hit theaters on Oct. 27, but you may be able to catch a screening a day earlier on the 26th. (I saw showtimes in places such as New York City, Houston and Los Angeles.)

After a recent price hike, Peacock Premium is $6 per month for new subscribers and Premium Plus is $12 per month for new subs. (Previously, the services cost $5 and $10 a month, respectively.) Those using the free tier of Peacock will need to upgrade to a paid plan to watch Five Nights at Freddy's.

Still looking for ways to save on Peacock? Unfortunately, there isn't a free trial, but college students may be eligible for 12 months of discounted Premium. You can also save by paying for a year upfront instead of 12 individual months. People with Spectrum or Xfinity Internet may qualify for free Premium. 

How to watch Five Nights at Freddy's from anywhere with a VPN

Perhaps you're traveling abroad and want to stream Peacock while away from home. With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the movie from anywhere in the world. There are other good reasons to use a VPN for streaming too.

A VPN is the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds by encrypting your traffic. Using a VPN is also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins. Streaming TV can be a bit smoother with a reliable, quality VPN that's passed our tests and security standards.

You can use a VPN to stream content legally as long as VPNs are allowed in your country and you have a valid subscription to the streaming service you're using. The US and Canada are among the countries where VPNs are legal, but we advise against streaming or downloading content on illegal torrent sites. We recommend ExpressVPN, but you may opt for another provider from our best list such as Surfshark or NordVPN. 

If you're looking for a secure and dependable VPN, our Editors' Choice is ExpressVPN. It's fast, works on multiple devices, and provides stable streams. It's normally $13 a month, but it currently costs less overall to go for a 12-month subscription, where each month shakes out to $8.32.

ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Read our review of ExpressVPN.

Follow the VPN provider's instructions for installation and choose a country where Five Nights at Freddy's will be streaming on Peacock. Before you open the streaming app, make sure you are connected to your VPN using your selected region. If you want to stream Five Nights at Freddy's on more than one device, it's possible you'll need to configure each one to ensure you're signed in. Go to settings and check your network connections to verify you're logged in and connected to your VPN account. Now you're ready to open Peacock to stream. 

If you run into issues with streaming, first make sure your VPN is up and running on its encrypted IP address. Double-check that you've followed installation instructions correctly and you've picked the right geographical area for viewing. If you still encounter connection problems, you may need to reboot your device. Close all apps and windows, restart your device and connect to your VPN first. Note that some streaming services have restrictions on VPN access.