After a surprise triumph at the winter box office in 2023—thanks to a viral TikTok dance—the original ‘M3GAN’ raked in $180 million worldwide with a modest $12 million budget. Naturally, Blumhouse and Atomic Monster decided a sequel was a must.

Returning to the eerie world of M3GAN, the doll this time took on a more human persona, even throwing shade at Chucky on social media. The first film attracted a young, mostly female audience—53% women and 44% under 25—during a post-Christmas box office slump. But when ‘M3GAN 2.0’ hit theaters, the response was icy. The sequel opened with a mere $10.2 million domestically ($17 million worldwide), plummeting -66% from the original's debut.

Initial tracking predicted ‘M3GAN 2.0’ might rival high-profile releases, but the excitement fell flat. Blurbs indicated a strong awareness due to its predecessor, but projections didn’t account for rival films outshining it at the box office.

Despite audiences giving it a better exit score—a B+ versus the original’s B—first impressions are critical in film, and the sequel fell short right out of the gate. Critics were once enamored, with the original boasting a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score, but ‘M3GAN 2.0’ now hovers around 57%.

Film critic Bilge Ebiri of New York Magazine summed it up: ‘The results are thoroughly mediocre—not funny enough for comedy, not thrilling enough for action, nor insightful enough to serve as a cautionary tale.’ So, what went wrong?

Sequels in the horror genre often walk a tightrope between replicating what worked previously and expanding the concept. Unfortunately, ‘M3GAN 2.0’ strayed too far from its roots. In contrast, Paramount’s ‘Smile 2’ managed to find its footing, netting $23 million by embracing fresh narratives. 'M3GAN 2.0', however, leaned heavily into camp, promoting cheeky sass rather than genuine suspense.

The marketing blitz included a trailer set to nostalgic tunes like Boyz II Men’s ‘It’s Hard to Say Goodbye’ but ultimately fell flat. Its humor felt forced, as one sarcastic exchange between characters illustrated. Marketed heavily towards LGBTQ+ communities, it boasted catchy taglines yet failed to translate that buzz into ticket sales.

Despite a colossal online presence—77 million followers and aggressive marketing efforts leading up to grand events—Universal couldn’t conjure up the magic again. Critics pointed out noticeable shifts in M3GAN's aesthetic, with some fans noting, ‘That face looks CGI.' Moreover, many anticipated a predictable narrative, causing trepidation among potential viewers.

Although others argue that the release date played a role, M3GAN 2.0 aimed for a different demographic than its competitors, yet the film simply lacked the spooky potency of its predecessor. Post-pandemic horror films struggle for attention; if ‘M3GAN 2.0’ had delivered a gripping experience, ticket sales would have surged.

Amid a string of unsuccessful sequels, Blumhouse has seen its share of box-office disappointments. Will ‘M3GAN 2.0’ ever break even, especially given its $25 million budget? While Blumhouse is notorious for its low-cost productions, the stakes are high heading into Halloween, with upcoming releases like ‘Black Phone 2’ and ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2'. Let’s hope their next endeavors don’t fall prey to the same fate.

In the upcoming year, Blumhouse has another A.I. horror movie, ‘Soulm8te,’ in the pipeline set in the same universe as M3GAN—though Universal will need to steer clear of the mistakes made with this chilling sequel.