A sequel to the recent hit horror film “M3GAN” is now in development with a release set for Jan. 17, 2025, Universal Pictures, Atomic Monster and Blumhouse said Wednesday.
Titled “M3GAN 2.0,” the film will see stars Allison Williams and Violet McGraw return, with the original film’s screenwriter Akela Cooper penning the script. Williams will produce with Atomic Monster founder James Wan and Blumhouse founder/CEO Jason Blum.
Executive producers are Mark Katchur, Michael Clear and Judson Scott for Atomic Monster, Ryan Turek for Blumhouse, and Adam Hendricks and Greg Gilreath for Divide/Conquer.
Released earlier this month, “M3GAN” has become the first box office hit of 2023, grossing $91.9 million at the global box office against a $12 million production budget.
The film stars Williams as Gemma, a workaholic roboticist who struggles to raise her niece Cady (McGraw) after her parents died in a car accident. She believes her problems are solved when she finishes designing “M3GAN,” a humanoid doll with artificial intelligence who becomes a friend and protector to Cady. But that changes when M3GAN begins taking her prime directive to protect Cady to murderous extremes.
“M3GAN” is the first co-production between Atomic Monster and Blumhouse released since the two companies announced plans to merge this past November. Negotiations for the merger are still ongoing but if completed would see James Wan move from Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema, where he has developed the box office hit “Conjuring” franchise, to Universal Pictures, which has a long-standing production partnership with Blumhouse.
Williams, who starred on the HBO series “Girls” and in Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning “Get Out,” will next appear on the Showtime series “Fellow Travelers” alongside Matt Bomer. She is represented by CAA, Untitled, and Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein & Selz.
McGraw recently appeared in the Marvel film “Black Widow” and the Netflix series “Haunting of Hill House.” She is represented by Coast to Coast Talent Group, Industry Entertainment and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.
Akela Cooper is represented by CAA and Rise Management. James Wan is represented by CAA, Stacey Testro International, and Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light.