The reception that M3GAN (2023) has received from critics as well as horror fans has been stellar. It’s no wonder that people love this satirical sci-fi horror gem. After having seen it tonight (as I’m writing this), I can confidently say that if you enjoy camp, a robot doll slaying (figuratively and literally), and smooth performances, this is the film for you. And if you happen to love endings that leave the door open for a sequel, then you’re in for a treat.
Screenwriter Akela Cooper and producer James Wan have given us a new killer doll to love. But what exactly happened at the end of the film? What are the chances of a M3GAN sequel coming to our screens eventually? I’m here to install that data (alright, I’m sorry that joke was corny).
M3GAN ending explained
We all knew that M3GAN, physically performed by Amie Donald, was going to cause trouble. Imagine if the film had been R-rated instead of PG-13—we would’ve surely had a massacre on our hands. M3GAN took out multiple people, a dog, and even tried to kill her inventor, Gemma (Allison Williams). And she served looks while being ruthless.
Throughout the movie, M3GAN aimed to protect Cady from anything that could harm her. It didn’t matter whether it was a physical or emotional threat. At the end of the film, a mini battle between Gemma and M3GAN erupted in the house. Considering Gemma wasn’t about to comply with the robot doll’s demands, she was to be eliminated. The showdown was always going to end with Cady realizing that M3GAN wasn’t her true anchor. Cady used a glove-controlled robot to fuck M3GAN up (or so they thought) and the niece/auntie duo escaped with their lives. But at the very end, it’s revealed that M3GAN transferred herself into Gemma’s virtual home assistant.
Will there be a sequel to M3GAN?
Recently in an interview with Collider, James Wan said the following:
“What I will say to that is, in any of my movies, whether it’s The Conjuring Universe, or Saw, or Malignant, or M3GAN here, we like to think of a bigger world. For me, it’s about creating the world, and knowing who the characters are, where the story could potentially go, and then building this bigger world, and then going into that and going, “Okay, I’m telling this particular story, but I know other stuff that’s going on.” So if we’re fortunate enough to have sequels, then we have an idea of where we want to go.”
– James Wan
Akela Cooper (Hell Fest, Malignant etc.) should be the name on everyone’s lips regarding this film. After all, she wrote the screenplay and co-wrote the story with Wan. And there aren’t a lot of recognized Black women screenwriters. A round of applause is necessary, especially since a sequel has been greenlit already!
It’s no wonder either because of the fantastic marketing, social media push, and the fact that it’s made $30.2 million in its debut! As a longtime horror fan, I can say that we’re so lucky that get films like this. A killer doll for a new generation and the ones before it. Fingers crossed this sequel will be just as fun and campy as the original.
(featured image: Universal Pictures)
