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Move aside Chucky, for M3GAN is your new competition, and she is a thousand steps ahead of you! If the whole creepy doll business with the toddling red-headed killer and Annabelle wasn’t enough, the coming year will see another, albeit more evolved toy, powered not by supernatural spirits but by advanced robotics and AI, and she is sure to scare you to the bits.
The sci-fi horror movie is set to arrive in January and is the second release of the new year. It features Allison Williams in the lead, who also serves as one of the executive producers. Directed by Gerard Johnstone, M3GAN follows Gemma, a robotics engineer, who designs a life-like doll for her orphaned niece and names her M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android). But as much as her latest creation seems like a dream come true for the little girl, the doll starts to develop a mind of its own and evolves into something that even Gemma can’t control.
We all have seen several movies featuring such dolls/toys coming to life and assuming a frightful character, but M3GAN takes the concept to the next level. While the horrifying aspects of the doll’s character might be relatable, the premise is pure science fiction. Think Extant’s Ethan but way creepier, scarier, and violent.
Now, if you enjoy both sci-fi and horror genres, and do not mind starting the new year with a bit of scare, then look out for this new movie. Meanwhile, check out the following guide with all the details of the plot, trailer, release date, cast and characters, and everything we know so far about M3GAN.
Editor's Note: This piece was updated on December 27 to include the latest clip.
When Is M3GAN’s Release Date?
M3GAN is set to release on Friday, January 6, 2022, in the United States, by Universal Pictures. The film was initially set to release a week later on, Friday, January 13, 2022 (she was going to beat you too, Freddy and Jason!),
Watch the M3GAN Trailer
If you thought Chucky and Annabelle or even Twilight’s Renesmee was disturbing to look at and interact with, M3GAN beats all of them in a blink. She is unnervingly human, in design and mannerisms (read programming).
The official trailer of M3GAN, just released, gives you a deeply sinister vibe with ominous music, but that comes later. The clip opens with Gemma introducing her niece, Cady to M3GAN, and the two girls becoming friends instantly, playing around the house, doing Tik-Tok dance moves, and all things kids do together. But the child-like behavior in M3GAN soon turns into something unexpected and violent when she takes “protect Cady” way too literally. The most troubling part of it all is when M3GAN starts running on all fours, like a monstrous animal, chasing away threats from Cady, killing, and also doing a little dance before each kill.
Watch the trailer here, and it’s sure to spook you, a little, and make you want to ask “how far does this go”? Well, to find that out, you’ll have to wait and catch the movie when it arrives in January.
The second trailer for M3GAN was released by Universal Pictures on December 7, 2022, this time trading in Taylor Swift for the song "Dolls" by Bella Poarch. This was followed by a new clip from M3GAN, released on December 15, 2022, which you can see below:
Who Is in M3GAN’s Cast?
Get Out star Allison Williams headlines the cast of M3GAN, as Gemma, the robotics engineer who designs the AI doll, and aunt to her eight-year-old, orphaned niece. Jenna Davis (Scarlett's Lab) features as the voice of M3GAN while Amie Donald (Sweet Tooth) stars as M3GAN, and Violet McGraw (The Haunting of Hill House) as Cady, Gemma’s niece.
In other roles, there’s also Ronny Chieng (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Brian Jordan Alvarez (Will & Grace) as Cole, Arlo Green (Cowboy Bebop) as Ryan, Jen Van Epps (One Lane Bridge) as Tess, Lori Dungey (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings), Stephane Garneau-Monten (Straight Forward) as Kurt.
Who Are the Creators of M3GAN?
M3GAN comes from filmmaker Gerard Johnstone, who is best known for writing-directing the 2014 horror-comedy-mystery film, Housebound, as well as the television series, The Jaquie Brown Diaries. M3GAN is the director’s second feature film.
The sci-fi horror is written by Akela Cooper, best known for Malignant, and writer-director, James Wan, the creator of The Conjuring universe and director of the Insidious franchise. Both Wan and Cooper have previously worked together for Malignant and are the minds behind the story of M3GAN. With a background like that, you can expect nothing short of a deeply twisted and spine-chilling narrative from this new project.
The film is produced by Jason Blum under Blumhouse Productions, which reinstates the fact that this is a horror movie that you would definitely want to watch. Wan also serves as one of the producers under his production banner, Atomic Monster Productions.
After the first trailer became a viral internet sensation Universal and Blumhouse are already discussing a potential sequel for the film. M4GAN, anyone?
What Will M3GAN Be Rated?
M3GAN will be rated PG-13 for violent content and terror, some strong language, and a suggestive reference. While that may disappoint some genre fans, it's important to note that there have been plenty of recent horror hits that weren't rated R, including the Quiet Place films, Old, and the Happy Death Day films (which were also from Blumhouse).
What Is M3GAN’s Story?
M3GAN is a sci-fi horror story that deals with the dark side of technology, which isn’t something that we haven't seen in this genre. But what we haven't is how far we can expect it to go. M3GAN focuses more on how alive, awake, and aware artificial intelligence can be, and that given the right environment, machines can develop their own consciousness and reprogram themselves into something much, much more terrifying.
The story follows Gemma, a roboticist working at a toy company, who suddenly becomes the guardian of her eight-year-old niece, Cady. Cady loses her parents in an accident and is deeply grieving. Seeing the little girl’s loss, Gemma thinks of doing something nice. For one, she has no experience in taking care of a child, and she hates seeing the little girl all sad and lonely. So, she designs M3GAN, a life-size, life-like, AI doll, that is programmed to learn about her companions. Gemma believes that the doll can be her perfect friend and protect her from any harm. Only that M3GAN takes it a bit too far. From talking back and refusing commands to brutal bloodbaths, the bot begins to transform into a more conscious being.
From the trailer, it’s clear that violence is her response to anything or anything that she perceives as a threat to Cady, even if it means killing her opponent. What begins as a fun and sweet bonding between two girls, turns into something that no one saw coming and becomes a frightening experience for both Gemma and Cady, among others around them.