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Jason Blum has opened up about the underwhelming box office performance of 'M3GAN 2.0', the highly anticipated sequel to 2023’s viral horror hit. Despite high expectations, the film, released on 27th June, failed to make a significant impact financially, falling short of the original’s success.
Speaking on Spotify’s 'The Town' podcast, the Blumhouse founder reflected on what may have gone wrong with the follow-up to the original AI horror sensation. Blum admitted that the team overestimated the cultural power of the M3GAN character, believing she was flexible enough to be placed in any setting or genre. They assumed her popularity would carry the sequel, regardless of creative shifts.
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Image Courtesy: AP News
'M3GAN 2.0', directed by Gerard Johnstone, shifts from psychological horror to a more action-focused narrative. Set two years after the events of the first film, the story follows Gemma (Allison Williams) as she revives the M3GAN doll to combat a dangerous new military-grade weapon called Amelia. The voice of M3GAN is again performed by Jenna Davis, with a supporting cast including Violet McGraw, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Ivanna Sakhno, and Jemaine Clement.
Why 'M3GAN 2.0' Suffered at the Box Office
Blum suggested that several bold choices may have worked against the film’s success, most notably, the genre shift and the release date change. He acknowledged that the team believed M3GAN could transition from horror to action and still retain fan engagement, but this assumption may have weakened the connection viewers had with the character. Additionally, moving the release from the traditional autumn horror season to a competitive summer slot was a risk that didn’t pay off.
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Image Courtesy: IMDb
He explained that there was confidence in M3GAN becoming a tentpole franchise, with the team treating the sequel as a major summer event rather than a contained thriller like its predecessor.
Despite the misfire, Blum expressed no concern about the future of Blumhouse. He pointed out that even the most successful talents and studios experience slumps and emphasised that setbacks are a natural part of a long creative journey.
While 'M3GAN 2.0' didn’t reach its box office potential, it still garnered a mix of reactions. However, critics also pointed out that the story eventually became convoluted, losing some narrative focus. Still, the film maintained its signature humour and emotional undertone — a rare trait for a movie about killer AI dolls.
