Summary
M3GAN’s tantalizing plans for a spinoff movie calledSOULM8TEcould be setting up a cinematic universe to rival the highest-grossing horror franchise of all time. Last year,M3GANarrived as a surprise hit when its novel high-concept premise and delightfully campy tone struck a chord with audiences. Its story of an engineer who designs a babysitting robot to help her raise her niece set up both aChopping Mall-style techno slasher and an ultraviolent meditation on the dangers of artificial intelligence. In all its ludicrousness,M3GANactually makes some strong points about humanity’s increasing reliance on unreliable technology.
WhenM3GANbecame a massive box office success, it didn’t take long for Universal to start work on a direct sequel. TitledM3GAN 2.0and scheduled for release on July 14, 2025, the sequel will see the return of screenwriter Akela Cooper and stars Allison Williams and Violet McGraw. But that’s not the onlyM3GANfollow-up that the studio is working on. There’s alsoa spinoff in development entitledSOULM8TEthat could end up kicking off a cinematic universe that’s big enough to take down the highest-grossing horror franchise in Hollywood.
M3GAN’s New Spinoff Puts A Fresh Spin On The Story’s Premise
SOULM8TE is about a robot filling a romantic role, not a parental role
Scheduled to be released on August 03, 2025,SOULM8TEwill be directed byYou Are Not My Mother’s Kate Dolan, who’s rewriting an initial script draft by Rafael Jordan. Although ittakes place in theM3GANuniverse,SOULM8TEisn’t relying on theM3GANbrand to get butts in seats; instead,it’s relying on what madeM3GANsuch a hit in the first place: its hook. The plot will follow a grieving widower who buys an A.I. android to help him cope with the loneliness surrounding his wife’s death – and, of course, the robot will take a deadly turn.
SOULM8TEis being pitched as a modern sci-fi spin on the classic erotic thrillers of the ‘90s. Suffice to say, it won’t just rehash the story ofM3GAN; it’s taking the central premise ofM3GANand putting a totally fresh spin on it. This is the right way to do a cinematic universe. Most attempted cinematic universes plan a boatload of spinoffs built around characters who can’t sustain an entire movie, like Kraven the Hunter. ButtheM3GANuniverse is putting originality before brand recognition, capitalizing on what’s interesting about this story world, not what an underestimated audience might recognize.
SOULM8TEis based on a story cooked up by James Wan, Ingrid Bisu, and Rafael Jordan.
The M3GAN Universe’s Focus On Original Ideas Could Make It Even Bigger Than The Conjuring Universe
The Conjuring Universe is successful, but it has limited longevity
Currently, thehighest-grossing horror franchise (by far) is The Conjuring Universe. Between the mainline series and its spinoffs, The Conjuring Universe has raked in over $2 billion at the box office. It’s essentially the MCU of the horror genre – and seemingly unbeatable. ButM3GAN’s new spinoff plans could be setting up a new horror cinematic universe to rival The Conjuring Universe. While The Conjuring Universe has found plenty of success with its possessed dolls and freelance exorcists, its longevity is limited, because its storytelling is repetitive and formulaic.
While theAnnabelleandThe Nunseries have been dependable moneymakers so far, they’re let down by their cliché-ridden scripts and focus on characters who can’t sustain their own movie. Eventually, just like with the MCU, audiences will stop turning up for the same old Conjuring Universe content. WithSOULM8TE,M3GANis exploring an original spin on the central hook of the franchise, swapping out a robot filling a parental role for a robot filling a romantic role, which could make it even more popular than The Conjuring Universe.
SOULM8TE Could Be The First Of Many M3GAN Spinoffs
This is just the tip of the iceberg
If it’s successful, thenSOULM8TEcould just be the beginning.The possibilities are endless for differentM3GANspinoffs revolving around different characters inviting A.I. into their livesand facing deadly consequences for it. They could do a movie about a robot friend calledP4L; they could do a movie about a robot housekeeper calledM4ID; they could do a movie about robot pet care calledDOGS1TTER– the sky is the limit for theM3GANcinematic universe.
Obviously, it all depends on the success ofSOULM8TE. IfSOULM8TEbombs at the box office, then there won’t be much hope forM4IDorDOGS1TTER. But if it can capture the same campy fun asM3GAN, and use its horror story to explore the dangers of technology as effectively asM3GAN, then it should be just as successful. TheM3GANcinematic universe has the potential to beChopping MallmeetsBlack Mirror.
M3GAN
Cast
M3GAN follows a toy company roboticist who creates an AI doll designed to emotionally bond with her orphaned niece. As the doll’s programming becomes excessively protective, it leads to unforeseen and alarming consequences. The film explores themes of artificial intelligence and emotional connections.
