'M3GAN 2.0' ENTERED TRACKING AS A LIKELY RIVAL TO 'F1,' BUT THE HORROR SEQUEL WAS LEFT IN BRAD PITT'S RACECAR EXHAUST |
After M3GAN became a surprise hit at the 2023 winter box office, riding a flaming-hot TikTok dance meme to $180 million worldwide (off a $12M budget), there was no question that Blumhouse and Atomic Monster had to make a sequel.
The psycho-doll came out of the gate looking like a franchise property. She even argued with Chucky on social media, which excited young females (with the first outing drawing 53% women, 44% of them under 25). At a time in the post-pandemic box office, particularly in the doldrums after Christmas with most of the country in a deep freeze, M3GAN seduced.
The second time around, though, moviegoers had no interest in making a playdate with the doll. Blumhouse’s release of M3GAN 2.0 via Universal posted a a not-fun opening of $10.2M ($17M worldwide) this weekend, down 66% from the original’s $30.4M U.S./Canada opening.
When M3GAN 2.0 hit tracking three weeks ago on NRG, the data gave the impression that it had a shot at rivaling Apple Original Films’ Brad Pitt Formula One racing movie F1, with each debuting to at least $30M. No way in hell, as it turned out. >>>What Happened? |
Deadline Exclusives & Originals |
'The Bachelor' Gets A Rose - ABC has made a call on the highest-profile series on its 2024-25 schedule yet, renewing reality stalwart The Bachelor for a milestone 30th season with a new boss. >>>'Bachelor In Paradise' Showrunner
Halfway To Oscar - Six months into the year, exactly halfway done, only one movie released between New Year’s Day and now stands a 100%, surefire, absolutely guaranteed chance of being nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. >>>Pete Hammond's Column
Viola Davis Is Playing 'Games' - Viola Davis and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Aquaman) are set to star in a reimagining of the 1987 MGM feature film House of Games, which is in development at Amazon MGM Studios. David Mamet wrote the original feature, which also served as his directorial debut. >>>Duo Will Produce
In Brief - Verve signs We Were Liars author E. Lockhart... Justin Hartley’s ChangeUp Productions inks new deal with 20th Television... Peaky Blinders exec Nicole Finnan debuts Jaeger Media
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For as many mixed emotions as this season of Love Island USA is eliciting in fans, imagine how Ariana Madix and Iain Stirling feel.
The host and narrator of the series have had to pick their own jaws up off the floor a few times as the Season 7 drama has unfolded. Madix, who is a self-proclaimed superfan of the franchise and began hosting duties in Season 6, tells Deadline she was most affected by the dumping of Charlie Georgiou just as he was beginning to form a strong connection to Hannah Fields. >>>Read The Interview |
Exclusive Mackenzie Davis (Station Eleven) has joined the leading cast of the Untitled Newfoundland Project, from creator Jesse McKeown. Davis will star opposite Josh Hartnett, who also executive produces, in the limited series set in Newfoundland, Canada, where they will also shoot.
Exclusive Rory Culkin (Black Mirror) has been cast in Apple and A+E Studios' as-yet-untitled series based on the bestselling crime novels by Lars Kepler.
Oscar winner Susan Sarandon said she’s “terrified but excited” to be making her UK stage debut this fall at London’s The Old Vic Theatre starring with Academy Award nominee Andrea Riseborough in the UK premiere of Tracy Letts’ play Mary Page Marlowe which spans 70 years in a woman’s life.
Not one but two castmembers from Hulu's The Secret Lives of Morman Wives are joining Dancing with the Stars for Season 34. Whitney Leavitt and Jennifer Affleck were announced Monday night during a reunion special on Hulu. Exclusive Jon Favreau’s new Disney+ series, Oswald The Lucky Rabbit, has set three of its leads: Ravi Cabot-Conyers (Skeleton Crew), Mykal-Michelle Harris (Raven’s Home) and Ryder Allen (The Penguin). |
Quotable "She’d be a great Wonder Woman" - DC Studios co-head James Gunn on Adria Arjona |
by the numbers $57M - The final 3-day domestic opening tally for 'F1' |
| More News 🤺 The feud between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk is back on. Asked this morning by a reporter whether he would deport Musk, the president responded, “I don’t know. We’ll have to take a look. We may have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldn’t that be terrible?”
🍏 Apple Corps Ltd., the operating company that oversees creative and business interests of The Beatles, has tapped British executive Tom Greene as CEO, effective September 25.
🧷 UK punk group Bob Vylan has responded to the firestorm following its Glastonbury performance, which drew jeers from concert organizers and many others due to calls for "death" to the Israeli Defense Forces and other comments. The group said in a statement that it is “being targeted for speaking up."
⚖️ The Trump Administration filed suit on Monday against the city of Los Angeles, claiming that its sanctuary city policies are illegal and interfere with the federal government’s effort to enforce immigration law. |
Obituaries 🕯️ Mark Brokaw, a prolific director of Off Broadway, Broadway and regional stage productions who beginning in the 1990s worked with some of the brightest emerging playwrights including Douglas Carter Beane, Kenneth Lonergan, Nicky Silver, Paula Vogel and Lynda Barry, died Sunday, June 29, following a battle with cancer. He was 66. 🕯️ Karl E. Held , a longtime arts advocate who was a producer on the Tony Award-nominated 2009 Broadway production of Ragtime and most recently on the Off Broadway hit Kowalski, died of a heart attack June 23 in New York City shortly after attending a performance at Carnegie Hall. He was 63. 🕯️ 2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries |
| On the Radar
Wed - Jurassic World Rebirth opens
Fri - Fourth of July; Sinners premieres on Max |
Aces - Honor Warren and mom Jessica Alba at Wimbledon Day 1. |
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