M3GAN Director Shares Details on Original Ending and Explains Why it Didn't Happen
Director Gerard Johnstone’s M3GAN has seen quite a successful box office run so far, and audiences are loving it! It’s just such a fun horror movie that has a perfect blend of horror, suspense, and humor. It wasn’t an easy film to bring to life, though! In a recent interview with Johnstone, he said: “M3GAN had to be perfect. We couldn’t have one hair out of place. It was actually a horrifically difficult shoot. It was so hard.” He added:
“I had a really great team around me, who were all having fun and reminding each other, ‘Hey, this movie is fun.’ That was a real joy. It was amazing when the first edit came in to be reminded, ‘Oh, this film was actually quite charming and fun.’”
Johnstone also discussed the original ending of the film that was scrapped, the hope for a sequel, and murdering a kid in the film. Why don’t we start with that, because it’s not often we see kids murdered in horror movies. When asked if there was any pushback on that, he said:
“No one ever pushed back. That scene is like wish fulfillment of any parent that sees just some a-hole kid who you know is going to turn out to be a monster and bully or push around your kid. It was sheer joy. Young Jack [Cassidy] is such a sweet kid, but he just makes such a good bully. He’s actually a sweetheart, really. But when he gets going, he reminded me of a young Ben Affleck. Because it’s in the woods, it’s almost like a dark Grimm fairy tale at that point. It’s like a lesson for kids who are contemplating being an asshole: just be careful.”
It was also revealed that there was another ending planned for the film that would have been a more CGI-heavy ending and it ended up being scrapped. Now, I liked the end of the movie and thought it was well done, but the original ending took things to a slightly bigger level. The filmmaker explained:
“They had this battle with Bruce, and there was gonna be one more part of it where they thought they’d got away, and Bruce essentially…they leave the workshop where they had this big battle, and then they hear a “ka-chunk!” and it’s Bruce’s head being thrown. And then, through the smoke of the doorway, M3GAN emerges just as a disembodied torso, and Bruce is holding her from behind and clomping along the corridor. It was great, and I was really in love with it. But we couldn’t do it for a number of practical reasons. We tried to shoot that version, and the physics didn’t work out. There were all these logistical things. So that’s why we end up doing the version we did. But I love the version we did, even though that was a cool idea. I love the version we got because it made Cady’s character so much more interesting.”
That ending would have been interesting to see! I can imagine the visual in my head and I like it! But, I’m ultimately happy with what ended up in the movie and the fact that it also left things open-ended for a sequel. When asked if he was open to making a sequel, Johnstone said:
“How can I not be? Now that the film’s finished and that people that are embracing it. There are so many ideas that we had and facets of M3GAN’s personality that we wanted to explore. I totally think there’s there’s more to say. And I know that M3GAN would have more to say. I would love to do another one. Hopefully soon, while it’s still fresh in everyone’s minds.”
It’s a safe bet that M3GAN is going to get a sequel. I imagine we’ll see that show up in theater within the next couple of years. The studio is going to ride the wave of success on this.