Thescreescore – Blumhouse Productions, the horror powerhouse behind Happy Death Day and The Purge franchise, has seen its latest offering, M3GAN 2.0, stumble at the box office. While the original M3GAN danced its way to over $181 million globally, its sci-fi action sequel, boasting a less-than-stellar 57% Rotten Tomatoes score, has struggled to replicate that success. The film’s shift in genre from campy horror to a more Terminator-esque action thriller appears to have alienated a significant portion of the original film’s fanbase.
Despite a disappointing $10 million domestic opening weekend, M3GAN 2.0 has finally limped past the $20 million global mark. This figure, however, paints a bleak picture for Blumhouse. The Numbers reports a domestic gross of $13.7 million and a meager $6.9 million internationally. Compared to the original M3GAN‘s $30 million opening weekend alone, the sequel’s performance is a mere fraction of its predecessor’s success. This underperformance raises serious concerns about the franchise’s future and even casts a shadow over Blumhouse’s overall trajectory.
Jason Blum himself acknowledged the studio’s miscalculation in an interview on The Town podcast, admitting they "over-thought" the audience’s connection with the original M3GAN, believing they could freely alter the genre and character without consequence. This gamble, it seems, backfired spectacularly.
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With a summer box office increasingly crowded by heavy hitters like Jurassic World: Dominion, Superman, and Fantastic Four: First Steps, M3GAN 2.0‘s chances of reaching profitability appear slim. The film’s struggles raise questions about the viability of the planned spin-off, SOULM8TE, slated for a January 2026 release.
Blumhouse, however, still has a fighting chance. Two sequels are on the horizon: Black Phone 2 and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. The success of these films will be crucial in determining whether Blumhouse can recover from this recent box office setback and regain its footing in the increasingly competitive landscape of Hollywood. The question remains: is M3GAN 2.0 a mere blip on the radar, or a sign of a larger, more troubling trend for the studio? Only time will tell. Source: The Numbers.
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