M3GAN Universe Expands Digitally
Soulm8te Trailer Promises Darker M3GAN Spin-Off, Sets August 2026 Digital Release
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Key Points
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Screenplay credits for Soulm8te include co-writer Rafael Jordan, with the story credited to James Wan, Ingrid Bisu and Rafael Jordan.
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The ensemble cast includes Claudia Doumit and Arty Froushan alongside Lily Sullivan.
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Soulm8te is described as the franchise’s third project in the M3GAN universe.
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Industry context notes the box office contrast: M3GAN grossed roughly $180 million worldwide, while M3GAN 2.0 earned about $39.1 million.
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Director Kate Dolan describes Soulm8te as a 'vicious cycle' exploring desire, obsession, autonomy and control, and says it's best watched with friends, with a drink in hand and no shame in shouting at the screen (in the spirit of Basic Instinct/Showgirls).
A new android is coming — and she wants more than just a companion. Hollywood Reporter revealed that Soulm8te, a spin-off set in the M3GAN universe, will skip theaters entirely and land exclusively on digital platforms on August 1, 2026. The film stars Lily Sullivan as a grieving engineer who builds an AI android that becomes dangerously obsessed with finding a soulmate.
The decision to go digital comes directly after M3GAN 2.0 bombed at the box office, earning just $39.1 million worldwide — a steep fall from the original M3GAN's $180 million global haul. Blumhouse Productions and Atomic Monster produce the film, with Universal Pictures Home Entertainment handling the digital release.
M3GAN 2.0's Box Office Flop Pushed Soulm8te to Digital
Universal originally planned a theatrical run for Soulm8te. But after M3GAN 2.0 grossed just $39.1 million worldwide — compared to the original film's roughly $180 million — the studio pulled back, according to Hollywood Reporter. Going digital first reduces financial risk while still reaching a wide audience through rental and purchase platforms.
Yahoo reported that a streaming release will likely follow, with Peacock seen as the probable home. Universal's strategy mirrors a growing industry trend: use digital sales to monetize mid-tier horror before moving titles to streaming. It keeps costs down and avoids another costly theatrical stumble.
A Grieving Engineer Builds the Perfect — and Deadly — Partner
Soulm8te is directed by Kate Dolan, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Rafael Jordan. The story is credited to James Wan, Ingrid Bisu, and Rafael Jordan. Lily Sullivan plays an engineer who, after a loss, creates an AI android designed to be her ideal companion. The android's search for emotional connection quickly spirals into obsession — and then into violence.
The ensemble cast includes Claudia Doumit and Arty Froushan alongside Sullivan. Soap Central describes the film as a sci-fi erotic horror thriller — a blend of tech paranoia and raw desire. Dolan calls the film a 'vicious cycle' that digs into themes of desire, obsession, autonomy, and control.
Director Dolan Wants You to Watch It Like Basic Instinct
Dolan is leaning into the film's provocative tone. She says Soulm8te is best watched with friends, drink in hand, and no shame in shouting at the screen — in the spirit of cult classics like Basic Instinct and Showgirls. That framing is a deliberate marketing move, positioning the film as a social home-viewing event rather than a quiet solo stream.
Coming Soon notes the trailer already has viewers drawing comparisons to classic erotic thrillers. The film leans into satire, using AI romance as a lens to examine power and control. Going digital on August 1 actually fits that pitch — a late-summer, watch-with-friends release timed perfectly for a hot night in.
Soulm8te Is the Third Entry in the M3GAN Franchise
Soulm8te is the third project in the M3GAN universe, following the original 2022 breakout hit and its 2025 sequel. AOL reports the new film introduces a brand-new android — separate from M3GAN herself — built around the franchise's core idea: what happens when AI stops serving humans and starts wanting things for itself.
The franchise is now clearly expanding beyond the original doll. With a darker, more mature tone and an erotic thriller edge, Soulm8te signals that Blumhouse and Atomic Monster want to grow the M3GAN world in bold new directions — even if that growth now happens at home instead of in theaters.
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