Depending on your opinion, M3GAN 2.0 was either a refreshingly different and fun sequel or a total disappointment. While thoughts are mixed regarding the general response to the film, there’s little doubt that it underperformed at the box office during its opening weekend, earning only $10.2 million domestically and $17 million worldwide on a budget of $15-25 million. It’s an unfortunate turn of events for the killer AI doll who seemed poised to become a genre fixture alongside Chucky and The Terminator, and marks yet another financial misfire from the folks at Blumhouse. Barring any last-minute surge in finances, it seems that the adventures of M3GAN may be over just as they were beginning.
Yet, all may not be lost for fans of the character and her world. For starters, the spin-off movie SOULM8TE is already in the can and scheduled for a January 2026 theatrical release. The adult-focused spin-off film could reinvigorate interest in M3GAN, or at the very least, her universe. Furthermore, another cut of M3GAN 2.0 exists, which DiscussingFilm can now exclusively reveal! While it’s not yet clear what is included in this unrated cut, it might be enough to smooth over some of the movie’s bumpier parts and contribute to its growing cult status.
Whether an unrated cut is enough to sway moviegoers on the sequel’s hard pivot from campy horror to ’90s-inspired sci-fi action or not, there’s no doubt that M3GAN fans have more to look forward to after all.
M3GAN 2.0 Will Have an Unrated Version
During an exclusive interview with DiscussingFilm, writer-director Gerard Johnstone revealed that an unrated version of M3GAN 2.0 will be part of the movie’s home video package. Though he didn’t specify, it’s easy to assume that the unrated cut will be available on the VOD and 4K Blu-Ray versions of the film, the latter of which is available for pre-order now. This has been a somewhat standard practice for many Universal Pictures’ releases, with everything from last year’s The Fall Guy to Nosferatu receiving extended cuts on disc and VOD. In the interview, Johnstone explained to us how additional lines and moments seen in the trailers and marketing may not end up in the unrated version either.
Gerard Johnstone: “ There will be an unrated version with a few [extra] scenes. We pack a lot in… I get it, it’s a long time to sit in the theater. So, we really wanted the [theatrical cut] to be under two hours. However, in the unrated cut, you’ll see a few things that didn’t make it into the theatrical version. Also, there are many lines in the trailers that help tell the story, but M3GAN doesn’t say them in the film at all (laughs). The studio needed promotional material. Sometimes, the trailers were already made before we could decide, ‘Can this beat make it into the movie or not?’ But, in a way, it still informs the universe.”
What Will Be in the M3GAN 2.0 Unrated Cut?
As anyone who’s seen it knows, M3GAN 2.0 is a lot of movie, so it wouldn’t be too surprising if the unrated cut has some substantial scenes to add back in. However, the unrated cut for the first M3GAN (2023) didn’t add much in terms of whole scenes or moments. In fact, the runtimes for both cuts of the original are identical. That’s because the differences in the cuts are essentially there for censorship purposes: the kills are slightly more graphically violent, and there are a few more F-bombs dropped. Horror fans can see how, with these small edits, M3GAN went from a clear R to a PG-13 rating.
So, is the M3GAN 2.0 unrated version essentially the same thing? Given Gerard Johnstone’s comments above, it feels like this unrated cut may actually include multiple deleted or extended scenes. Perhaps viewers will get to see the bit from the trailer featuring a man in a M3GAN costume refer to the doll as “a smokin’ hot warrior princess,” a moment that’s not in the theatrical version of the sequel. Maybe another scene from the marketing will be included, the one in which M3GAN leaps out of a large sales box and attacks an unsuspecting passerby.
Whatever happens, we at least now know that the theatrical cut of M3GAN 2.0 is not the last time we’ll be seeing M3GAN do her thing. Let’s hope it’s worth the wait.
M3GAN 2.0 is now playing in theaters!
Release Date: June 27, 2025.
Directed by Gerard Johnstone.
Screenplay by Gerard Johnstone.
Story by Gerard Johnstone & Akela Cooper.
Based on characters created by James Wan.
Produced by Jason Blum, James Wan, & Allison Williams.
Executive Producers: Gerard Johnstone, Michael Clear, Greg Gilreath, Adam Hendricks, Mark David Katchur, Judson Scott, & Ryan Turek.
Main Cast: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Amie Donald, Jenna Davis, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Ivanna Sakhno, Aristotle Athari, Timm Sharp, & Jemaine Clement.
Cinematographer: Toby Oliver.
Composer: Chris Bacon.
Production Companies: Blumhouse Productions & Atomic Monster.
Distributor: Universal Pictures.
Runtime: 119 minutes
Rated PG-13.
