M3GAN is slashing her way through people’s hearts, becoming a new horror icon in a short time. But we almost got a bloodier version of the new cult classic.
Screenwriter Akela Cooper spoke to The Los Angeles Times, saying she had plans to make M3GAN even more graphic.
Cooper tells the outlet, “No shade to Universal, love them, and I understand that once the trailer went viral, teenagers got involved, and you want them to be able to see it. There should be an unrated version at some point. I heard it is on the books. But yes, it was way gorier. Her body count in the script was higher than in the movie.”
She adds that the film wasn’t insanely gory but still had the James Wan stamp of approval. “She did kill a bunch more people, including a couple of characters whom James [Wan] was like, ‘I like what you did with those people, but I want them to live.’ I was merciless, but again, that is me. My humor is extremely dark,” says Cooper.
No matter what the film is rated, people want to see M3GAN. The movie came above projections and made $30.2 million in its opening weekend, and Deadline is reporting that Blumhouse and Universal are already looking to continue the series with a sequel.
Cooper claims she is happy to be a part of “bringing back fun horror that doesn’t take itself so seriously.”
M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a life-like doll programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by brilliant toy-company roboticist Gemma (Get Out’s Allison Williams), M3GAN can listen and watch and learn as she becomes friend and teacher, playmate and protector, for the child she is bonded to.
When Gemma suddenly becomes the caretaker of her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady (Violet McGraw, The Haunting of Hill House), Gemma’s unsure and unprepared to be a parent. Under intense pressure at work, Gemma decides to pair her M3GAN prototype with Cady in an attempt to resolve both problems—a decision that will have unimaginable consequences.
M3GAN features a cast that includes Get Out’s Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Lori Dungey, and Stephane Garneau-Monten.
M3GAN is out now in the U.S. and opens in the UK this Friday, January 13th.
