M3GAN Producer James Wan Already Has Sequel Ideas
If the upcoming horror movie is a hit, producer James Wan already has an idea of how to build the world of M3GAN in the sequel.
If the first movie turns out to be a hit, M3GAN producer James Wan already has ideas for a sequel. Directed by Gerald Johnstone, M3GAN tells the story of a robotics engineer at a toy company whose AI dolls begin to take on a life of their own. Wan, best known for directing Saw, Insidious, The Conjuring and Malignant, in addition to producing Annabelle, The Nun and Spiral, has story credits for the upcoming film with Akela Cooper writing the screenplay. M3GAN's initial trailer has already teased that the movie will be scary, but it's not without its darkly humorous moments, and the titular doll loves to dance.
While M3GAN hasn't even officially hit theaters yet, Wan revealed in a new interview with Collider that he already has ideas for a sequel. The producer joked that he's already thought of ways to build the story's world, and expressed hope that one or more of the sequels will eventually explore those ideas further. Check out Wan's full review below:
“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 already knows what could happen in a @meetM3GAN sequel. https://t.co/6rh2DrMb6W— Collider (@Collider) January 3, 2023
What It Would Take For M3GAN 2 To Happen
The biggest deciding factor in determining whether a sequel is approved will be how well the M3GAN performs in the box office. Wan has shown on numerous occasions that he knows what genre of horror movie resonates with fans, with "Saw," "The Conjuring," "Insidious" and "Annabelle" all doing well enough at the box office to warrant making one or two. Multiple sequels. Most horror movies have relatively low budgets compared to Hollywood blockbusters, which means they need relatively small budgets to break even and become profitable. It's unclear what budget M3GAN was produced on, but it's likely to be in line with Wan's previous projects.
It is worth noting that M3GAN also has a PG-13 rating, which is in stark contrast to most of Wan's other films. That means the movie can be seen by a wider audience, making it more likely to be profitable at the box office. Although less important overall, the sequel will also depend to some extent on M3GAN reviews. If the film receives positive reviews, word of mouth could boost its box office earnings. Reviews for the film have yet to be released, but early critics' reactions to M3GAN appear to have been mostly positive, suggesting it may end up being popular with general audiences as well.
Considering TikTok appeal of M3GAN dance Action and its PG-13 rating, Johnstone's film is likely to be a hit, appealing to younger audiences who don't go to theaters for R-rated movies like The Conjuring or the Saw franchise. Thankfully, if the movie ends up being a hit, it sounds like Wan is ready to hit the ground running when it comes to expanding the story across multiple sequels. With a release date set for later this week, viewers won't have to wait long to experience M3GAN for themselves.
More: Why James Wan's first horror movie is unwatchable
