M3GAN’s Director Cools on a Third Installment After Sequel Struggles
Look, I didn’t volunteer for this cheerleader routine, but here we are dissecting yet another filmmaker’s public doubts — this time it’s M3GAN director Gerard Johnstone admitting he might pass on a trilogy. After the sequel’s release earlier this fall, he confessed the whole process felt more like wrangling a possessed toy than a joyful creative romp. According to an exclusive chat with the New York Post, Johnstone called the shoot “challenging from day one,” citing grueling schedules, the endless back-and-forth on the doll’s CGI expressions, and the pressure of topping a surprise 2022 box-office smash. Variety later backed him up, noting his on-set “battle plans” to keep the animatronic star from literally falling apart.
Despite the original M3GAN’s $181 million haul on a $12 million budget and the sequel’s strong opening weekend haul (reportedly north of $57 million), our guy Johnstone is shrugging off the idea of Part Three. People Magazine reports he’s sticking by his post-wrap vow: “I need a break from evil robots.” He added — drily, of course — that he’d only return if the script “did something genuinely new instead of rehashing doll jumpscares.” I told you so about creative reuse fatigue.
Sources close to Blumhouse Productions quietly hinted to The Hollywood Reporter that a third chapter could still move forward, provided Johnstone changes his mind or they find a fresh angle — maybe M4GAN: The Doll Trainer? But don’t hold your breath. The director’s enthusiasm meter seems stuck somewhere between “meh” and “never again,” especially after navigating COVID safety protocols, last-minute rewrites, and that one night when the animatronic head went haywire mid-scene, as confirmed by on-set video posted to Instagram.
Of course, studio execs are weighing sequel performance, merchandise sales (yes, the M3GAN dolls flew off shelves), and streaming metrics. Deadline notes this formula has delivered franchise gold before, but Johnstone’s own fatigue is a glaring speed bump. He even joked in an interview with Empire magazine that he might direct a nature doc next — anything without hinged eyelids and sinister giggles.
So does this mean we’ve seen the last of the hyper-realistic doll stalking babysitters in moonlit houses? Maybe. Johnstone left the door ajar if someone pitches a story “that doesn’t feel like déjà vu,” which, in Hollywood speak, usually translates to “find me a miracle.” Did anyone expect a different outcome? No? Thought so. And that, dear reader, is why we can’t have nice things.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, Variety, People Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, Empire Magazine
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
