James Wan On Terminator 2's Influence on M3GAN 2.0

The release of the anticipated sequel M3GAN 2.0 is almost upon us, and in typical style, the first interviews for the new film have begun with some saucy titbits about it coming from producer James Wan this week.

Chatting with Empire, Wan has been talking about the sequel, living up to expectations, and their approach to M3GAN 2.0, with the Conjuring and Aquaman director telling the magazine that James Cameron’s 1991 sci-fi classic Terminator 2: Judgment Day was one of their touchpoints for the follow-up.

The sequel is set to see its titular character go up against a brand new nemesis, and according to producer James Wan, the team behind the sequel took inspiration from a James Cameron classic.

“We saw the path James Cameron took with Terminator 2,” Wan told the mag. “If part of the jokey inspiration for the first M3GAN was that it was supposed to be our version of The Terminator, but with a killer doll instead of Arnold Schwarzenegger, then it felt right that the sequel would be Terminator 2: Judgment Day. We knew that M3GAN had to meet a nemesis potentially more powerful than she is.”

M3GAN 2.0 sees the original M3GAN (played by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis) having to become something of a protector to her friend Cady (Violet McGraw) as a new military robot named Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno) starts to wreak her bloody vengeance.

Allison Williams and Brian Jordan Alvarez also return for the sequel, with Jen Van Epps, Aristotle Athari, Timm Sharp, and Jemaine Clement also co-starring. Original director Gerard Johnson is back in the director’s chair, too.

M3GAN made over $181million worldwide in 2022 from its $12million budget, and expectations are high that the sequel will do even better.