Blumhouse CEO on M3GAN 2.0 Flop: Misjudged Appeal

Blumhouse chief Jason Blum has candidly discussed the disappointing box office performance of M3GAN 2.0, acknowledging several strategic missteps.

The sequel grossed $10.2 million domestically and $6.958 million internationally during its opening weekend—a far cry from the original 2022 film's $180 million global success, suggesting the first installment may have been a unique phenomenon.

IGN's M3GAN 2.0 review scored it 6/10, noting: "While the sequel shifts from horror to sci-fi/action with uneven results, M3GAN’s sharp wit and lethal choreography remain the highlights."

But what caused M3GAN 2.0 to underperform? On The Town with Matthew Belloni podcast, Blum offered early insights.

"This has been eating at me all weekend," Blum admitted. "If Blumhouse is struggling, I want to be the one analyzing why—not outside commentators."

He revealed that early projections had been much higher: "Ten weeks out, tracking suggested a $45M opening." But by opening weekend, estimates had plummeted to just $10M.

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"We misjudged M3GAN’s appeal," Blum admitted. "We thought she was versatile enough to handle genre shifts, summer release timing, and even a partial hero turn. But fans just wanted more of what made the first film work."

The sequel leaned into action-comedy rather than horror-thriller—a move Blum now recognizes as flawed. The rushed production timeline also impacted quality: "When you change genres, execution has to be flawless. Ours wasn’t."

While CinemaScore ratings improved slightly, Blum acknowledged critics were harsher than with the original. "The lesson? Don’t fix what isn’t broken," he concluded.

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Looking ahead, Blum confirmed Blumhouse is reassessing its strategy amid an oversaturated horror market: "The industry can’t sustain 12-15 horror releases like before. We need to focus on fewer, bigger theatrical events."

Upcoming projects like the Five Nights at Freddy’s sequel will test this approach. "This isn’t an existential crisis," Blum clarified, "but we must adapt—reducing volume while increasing production value for standout releases."