Blumhouse and Universal Pictures’ “M3GAN” spin-off film “SOULM8TE,” originally slated for early next year, has been delayed indefinitely.
Originally announced in mid-2024, the film was directed and co-written by Kate Dolan and was going to arrive on January 9th 2026.
That was still the case this week, even though no marketing material for the film had been released. It was widely expected that a delay was coming, and now it has, with the title pulled from Universal’s release date calendar.
It goes beyond that, however, with Deadline reporting that the film is currently being shopped around to other studios – the studio essentially dumping the movie.
Said to be inspired by 1990s erotic thrillers, the film follows a man who acquires an AI android to cope with the loss of his recently deceased wife. In an attempt to create a truly sentient partner, he inadvertently turns a harmless lovebot into a deadly soulmate. Claudia Doumit, Lily Sullivan, Isabelle Bonfrer, Emma Ramos, and Sydney Blackburn star.
Its abandonment is not a big surprise. While “M3GAN” was a surprise hit in 2022, grossing $181.8 million, an attempt to turn it into a franchise failed with “M3GAN 2.0” debuting this Summer to a disastrous $39.1 million globally.
Paramount’s “Primate” will now be the sole horror film opening on January 9th.
