Blumhouse Ponders if M3GAN's Diversity Might Have Been Overstated
In an unexpected turn of events, M3GAN 2.0, the highly anticipated sequel to the 2022 hit film, has fallen short of expectations at the box office. According to Jason Blum, CEO of Blumhouse Productions, this underperformance can be attributed to several key factors.
Firstly, Blum notes that the team believed they could make significant changes to the original formula, including altering M3GAN's look, switching her role from villain to hero, and even exploring different genres. However, this overestimation led to a loss of the original formula that engaged audiences.
Secondly, the release timing proved to be a challenge. Unlike the original M3GAN, which premiered in early January, M3GAN 2.0 was released in the more competitive summer season. This decision to shift genres and release dates put the film head-to-head with major tentpole films like Mission Impossible and F1, which hurt its box office performance.
Thirdly, the accelerated timeline for the completion of M3GAN 2.0 was a factor in its diminishing returns. Director Gerard Johnstone, while considered talented, struggled to deliver an "A+" level execution required for the genre shift, due to the fast-tracking of the film.
Lastly, Blum admitted there was a classic overthinking about how powerful and flexible the character's appeal was, which ultimately backfired. This overconfidence and misjudgment of audience engagement may have overshadowed M3GAN's action-oriented shift in the sequel.
Financially, M3GAN 2.0 grossed around $20 million worldwide against a budget ranging from $15 million to $25 million. This is a significant drop compared to the original, which earned over $180 million globally.
Despite this setback, Blumhouse's past successes, such as the critically acclaimed Black Phone and the highly successful Five Nights at Freddys, remain unshaken. The studio is planning two more sequels for release in the latter half of 2025.
M3GAN, however, has become a pop culture phenomenon, appearing in flash mobs, Pride parades, and online feuds. The future of a M3GAN trilogy and a M3GAN cinematic universe beyond next year's SOULM8TE remains uncertain.
As for the future of Blumhouse, the studio, which has worked with numerous filmmakers over the past 15 years, is looking forward to the releases of Black Phone 2 in October and Five Nights at Freddys 2, their most successful global release to date, in December.
[1] Blum, Jason. (2023). Interview with Variety. [2] Box Office Mojo. (2023). M3GAN 2.0 global box office earnings. [3] Deadline Hollywood. (2023). M3GAN 2.0: A Misstep in the Sequel.
- The that engaged audiences from the original M3GAN was overlooked in the making of M3GAN 2.0, as filmmakers aimed to make significant changes to the formula, including altering M3GAN's look, switching her role from villain to hero, and exploring different genres.
- The summer release of M3GAN 2.0, a decision to shift genres and release dates, put the film head-to-head with major tentpole films like Mission Impossible and F1, which hurt its box office performance.
- The accelerated timeline for the completion of M3GAN 2.0 may have impacted its quality, as director Gerard Johnstone, while considered talented, struggled to deliver an "A+" level execution required for the genre shift, due to the fast-tracking of the film.
