M3GAN 2.0 will lean into AI concerns

The sci-fi thriller M3GAN (read our review HERE, get a copy HERE) was such a financial success when it reached theatres, it didn’t even take Universal Pictures and production companies Blumhouse and Atomic Monster two weeks to announce that they’d be re-teaming for a sequel. M3GAN 2.0 is set to reach theatres on January 17, 2025 – and during an interview with Empire Magazine (with thanks to Collider for sharing the information), producer James Wan said we can expect to see the sequel lean further into exploring concerns about AI.

Based on a story crafted by Wan, M3GAN was directed by Gerard Johnstone from a screenplay by Akela Cooper (Malignant). The film has the following synopsis: She’s more than just a toy. She’s part of the family.

From the most prolific minds in horror — James Wan, the filmmaker behind the Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring franchises, and Blumhouse, the producer of the Halloween films, The Black Phone and The Invisible Man — comes a fresh new face in terror.

M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a life-like doll programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by brilliant toy-company roboticist Gemma, M3GAN can listen and watch and learn as she becomes friend and teacher, playmate and protector, for the child she is bonded to. When Gemma suddenly becomes the caretaker of her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady, Gemma’s unsure and unprepared to be a parent. Under intense pressure at work, Gemma decides to pair her M3GAN prototype with Cady in an attempt to resolve both problems — a decision that will have unimaginable consequences.

The film starred Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Lori Dungey, and Stephane Garneau-Monten star. Williams and McGraw are expected to return for M3GAN 2.0, which will also be directed by Johnstone.

Wan told Empire, “It’s early yet, but M3GAN is coming back in a big way. The first film came just at the right time [when concerns about AI were mounting], and we’re definitely leaning into that on the next one. We’re exploring the AI universe even further.“

A collaboration between Universal Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, and Atomic Monster, in association with Divide/Conquer, M3GAN was produced by Wan and Jason Blum. Williams served as executive producer alongside Mark Katchur, Ryan Turek, Michael Clear, Judson Scott, Adam Hendricks, and Greg Gilreath.

Are you looking forward to M3GAN 2.0, and are you interested to see it explore AI further? Let us know by leaving a comment below.