Everyone knows the first rule of movie theater etiquette is that you don’t use your phone during the movie. EvenCheech and Chongknow that. However,Blumhouseand Meta have teamed up to promote the latter’s new Movie Mate technology, in conjunction with a rerelease of one of the former’s biggest horror hits, with a new initiative that encourages moviegoers to use their mobile devices during special screenings.Varietyreports that the new technology will be used during a special screening ofM3GAN.
The event is billed as a “second screen” experience: moviegoers in theM3GANscreenings will be able to DM the officialM3GANInstagram account, allowing them to talk in real time with a M3GAN chatbot. The technology will also unlock exclusive content, trivia, and behind-the-scenes info in real-time. Future Movie Mate launches are said to feature “sneak peeks, exclusive recorded messages from directors and talent from the films, and surprise special appearances in select markets.” Is it a coincidence that this new AI-driven feature is being launched with a movie about the extremely tangible dangers of faulty technology? Hopefully! The event is part of Blumhouse’s Halfway to Halloween program, which will also see one-day rereleases of fellow horror hitsAnnabelleandMa.M3GANwill be rereleased on April 30, withAnnabellereturning to theaters on May 7, andMawill follow on May 14.
What is ‘M3GAN’ About?
Allison Williamsstars as Gemma, a roboticist who finds herself unexpectedly caring for her recently-orphaned niece, Cady (Violet McGraw). To help cheer her up and make up for her own parenting inexperience, she gives her a gift: a prototype robot doll, M3GAN (performed byAmie Donaldand voiced byJenna Davis). Cady and the robot quickly bond, but M3GAN’s programming compels her to stop anything that could harm her human friend; that means unfriendly dogs, school bullies, and nosy neighbors all find themselves on the receiving end of M3GAN’s merciless mechanical malevolence. Directed byGerard Johnstoneand written byAkela Cooper, the film was a surprise hit at the box office, grossing $181 million USD on a $12 million budget.
M3GAN will soon be returning to theaters in an upgraded form, as well. InM3GAN 2.0, which will be released on June 21, 2025, M3GAN’s technology has been used to create a military robot, Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), who quickly turns on her creators. The only thing that can save humanity may be an upgraded M3GAN. A spinoff,SOULM8TE, which features a more adult android companion, will be released in 2026.
Tickets are now on sale for Movie Mate screenings ofM3GANonApril 30. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
Source:Variety
