Blumhouse CEO Jason Blum has candidly addressed the disappointing debut of M3GAN 2.0, acknowledging several missteps.
The sequel grossed just $10.2 million domestically and $6.958 million internationally during its opening weekend—far below the original M3GAN's blockbuster $180 million global performance in December 2022.
IGN's M3GAN 2.0 review scored it 6/10, noting: "While the sequel struggles to balance horror with sci-fi action, M3GAN herself remains the standout with wicked humor and lethal dance moves."
Blumhouse founder Jason Blum analyzed the sequel's underperformance during an appearance on The Town podcast, revealing early projections had forecast a $45 million opening.
"This weekend's been painful—I've been obsessively reviewing what went wrong," Blum admitted during the 20-minute discussion. "If Blumhouse faces setbacks, I'd rather tell that story myself."
The CEO detailed how projections plummeted from $40M (8 weeks out) to $35M (6 weeks), ultimately landing at $10M—far below their original "20% drop" expectation from the first film's $32M debut.
Blum pinpointed two critical errors: shifting genres from horror to action-comedy, and moving the release from December to summer. "We arrogantly assumed M3GAN could transcend genres," he confessed. "Audiences wanted the original formula."
M3GAN 2.0 Gallery
View 12 Images
"Genre transitions require flawless execution," Blum noted, acknowledging tighter production timelines may have impacted quality despite slightly better CinemaScore ratings.
Looking forward, Blum signaled strategic changes—reducing output volume and prioritizing theatrical spectacle, as seen with Five Nights at Freddy's sequel. "The market can't sustain 12-15 horror releases annually anymore," he observed.
The Best Horror Movie of 2023
View 4 Images
"This isn't existential—it's about recalibrating," Blum concluded. "We're reevaluating our entire slate to ensure each film justifies theatrical release—something we wouldn't have prioritized a year ago."
