"SOULM8TE was supposed to be the next M3GAN-verse movie. Universal Pictures SOULM8TE was supposed to launch a series of tech-based horror movies set in the M3GAN-verse. The erotic thriller follows a man as he buys an android to help him cope with the loss of his wife, much like the "Be Right Back" episode of Black Mirror. It was set for a January 9, 2026, release date, but according to , SOULM8TE has been removed from Universal's release schedule just weeks before it was supposed to hit theaters."
"The moviewill be shopped to other distributors, but this is a drastic step. A delay seemed inevitable, as rival horror movie Primate was set for the same weekend, but taking the movie off the schedule altogether is a big surprise that speaks to a serious lack of faith in its viability. At this point, it's possible the movie will never see the light of day."
"It's unlikely we'll see another M3GAN movie anytime soon, and it's possible this SOULM8TE will be rebranded as a standalone story. Its '90s-style erotic thriller tone was always a risky shift from M3GAN's camp horror, and it could maybe find a better footing on its own merits. We might hear from it again - and its title might be spelled differently when we do."
The M3GAN franchise has lost momentum despite earlier success, with the spinoff SOULM8TE pulled from Universal's January 9, 2026 release schedule mere weeks before release. SOULM8TE is an erotic thriller about a man who buys an android to cope with his wife's death, drawing comparisons to Black Mirror's "Be Right Back." Universal plans to shop the film to other distributors, but the abrupt removal signals low confidence and raises the possibility the film may never be released. The project's tonal shift away from M3GAN's camp horror makes rebranding it as a standalone more likely.
Read at Inverse
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]