M3GAN 2.0 Director Explains Film is Drawing Inspiration From James Cameron's TERMINATOR 2

M3GAN 2.0 comes more killer doll chaos, but this time with a surprisingly familiar influence. Director Gerard Johnstone, who helmed the first film, is back in the chair, and he’s not shy about the inspiration guiding the sequel.

In fact, he’s taking a page right out of James Cameron’s playbook with Terminator 2: Judgment Day, to be specific, and once you hear his reasoning, it makes sense:

Johnstone recently sat down with Empire and laid it out saying:

“We saw the path James Cameron took with Terminator 2. 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 lethal 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.”

T2 is widely considered one of the best sequels ever made as it did a great job expanding on its original story while flipping its lead character’s role.

Just like how Schwarzenegger’s T-800 switched sides from villain to protector, M3GAN 2.0 will reportedly do the same with its own AI diva. The new antagonist is an even smarter, potentially more dangerous artificial intelligence named Amelia.

This new dynamic looks like silly fun from the trailer that was released, and it looks like it will be filled with unhinged mayhem. I’m sure some audiences will enjoy watching a murderbot with sass evolve into a would-be hero.

I imagine that there’s probably a few twists in the story that we’ll learn about while we watch it. Screenwriter Akela Cooper is also back for the sequel.

The first M3GAN worked because it balanced horror with humor and a healthy dose of tech-world satire. With the same core creative team steering the ship and some high-caliber sci-fi influence riding shotgun, there’s a solid chance M3GAN 2.0 could end up being a entertaining sequel.

We’ll just have to wait and if this movie ends with a molten pit and a thumbs-up from a robot doll.