M3GANPhoto: Universal
This brings us ever closer to the dark day when Blumhouse has to sit down and figure out what the hell you call a third M3GAN movie – M33GAN? M3G3N? Madness – the horror studio has officially confirmed that a second installment in its surprise hit and murder-doll blockbuster is now in the books.
Notably, THR reports that Blumhouse and James Wan’s Atomic Monster have even gone so far as to announce a release date for the second film, which in what we can only describe as an act of abject cowardice will apparently simply be called M3GAN 2.0. And it’ll arrive on January 17, 2025, with both studios apparently aiming to lock in that fickle “January horror hit” crown for a second time, now a few years later.
And have no doubt: M3GAN was a rare January horror win, with the film recently crossing over $100 million at the box office, with a meager $12 million budget, very savvy marketing, and a film that’s this creepy Dancing Realizes Murder Dolls can actually be fun. Those are the kind of budget vs. box office numbers that have made both Wan and Blumhouse consistent moneymakers in recent years; It’s not for nothing that this is Wan’s second hugely successful killer doll franchise at this point.
Among other things, the studios have already rounded up plenty of returning talent, with Allison Williams and Violet McGraw both officially on board to return for a second run through M3GAN’s horror house. (Possibly literally, if the hints of M3GAN taking control of her home’s smart home systems at the end of the first film are any indication of what’s to come.) While director Gerard Johnstone hasn’t signed on yet, writer has Akela Cooper done so, ready to pen some more TikTok dancing death puppet delights.