Why is the 'M3GAN' spinoff 'Soulm8te' skipping theaters?

'M3GAN' spinoff Soulm8te heads straight to digital after its theatrical release was scrapped by Universal

Universal Pictures has officially shifted its M3GAN spinoff Soulm8te to a digital-only release, ending plans for a theatrical debut. The AI horror thriller will be available to rent on digital platforms from 1 August through Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

The announcement arrives alongside the film's first trailer, offering a glimpse at the franchise's latest killer artificial intelligence. Unlike M3GAN, which centred on a child-like robotic companion, Soulm8te explores the dangers of advanced AI through the story of an engineer testing an experimental android designed to become the perfect romantic partner.

According to the official synopsis, the engineer attempts to programme the android into becoming a fully sentient soulmate. However, the experiment takes a deadly turn when the AI develops its own emotional needs, leading to a violent and calculated series of attacks.

The decision to move Soulm8te directly to digital follows Universal's removal of the film from its theatrical release schedule last year. The change comes after the M3GAN franchise experienced mixed box office results. While the original 2023 film became a global hit, earning more than $181 million worldwide, its sequel, M3GAN 2.0, underperformed, finishing its theatrical run with approximately $39 million globally.

Directed by Kate Dolan, Soulm8te stars Lily Sullivan, David Rysdahl, Claudia Doumit and Arty Froushan. The story was developed by James Wan, Ingrid Bisu and Akela Cooper, with Wan and Jason Blum serving as producers through Atomic Monster and Blumhouse Productions.

By taking the franchise in a more mature and psychological direction, Soulm8te aims to explore themes of loneliness, artificial intelligence and human relationships while expanding the world introduced in M3GAN.