‘M3GAN’ is Gen Z’s Answer to ‘Chucky’, Complete With Iconic TikTok Memes

How do you make horror for the Gen Z audience? A24’s Bodies Bodies Bodies was close but didn’t exactly nail it. The film offered snarky commentary on consumption culture and political correctness, and starred the internet’s favorite himbo Pete Davidson, but it didn’t deliver a big scare. The film lacked in traditional horror elements and suspense, and instead, leaned into its comedic bits. But do you know who has always struck the landing? Horror icon Chucky and filmmaker James Wan, and this upcoming horror film has the best of both (sorta)!

Over the years, Wan has earned himself the Horror King title as creator of The Conjuring franchise, the co-creator of Saw and Insidious, and the writer-director of the last truly WTF horror thrillride, Malignant. Now, he’s cooked up a new story that’s so brilliantly strange that its subject has already reached icon status, even though the film doesn’t premiere until 2023.

If you’re one of the 10 people on the internet who hasn’t already met this dancing killer doll – meet M3GAN, Wan’s latest horror creation.

What is it that makes M3GAN great? Is it her lifeless eyes, her permanent duck face, or her Anna Delvey-like ensemble? Sure, all of the above works. However, her biggest standout feature is her Gen Z dancing that relies on TikTok’s favorite moves: full-body gyrating, loose knees, and two or three signature dances, sprinkled with a bit of flair. M3GAN served these killer moves in the film’s trailer and the internet was immediately obsessed – particularly the LGBTQIA+ community. While the story isn’t intrinsically queer, it posits the creepy doll as a protective mother figure to a young outsider, and taps into the muddy feelings surrounding isolation and acceptance (which is practically “gay gold”, pointed out by the Twitter user below.)

Wan’s upcoming film follows Gemma, a roboticist who finds herself taking care of her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady. The caretaker pairs the grieving girl with a “friendly” prototype that’s designed to protect one’s emotional needs, M3GAN. However, when M3GAN deems Gemma – and a few other locals – as a threat to the young girl, she goes on a murderous rampage. A solid synopsis. Except, as mentioned above, the trailer shows random snippets of the doll’s weird dance moves, that seems to occur during a killing sequence. What’s the point of this? Well, we don’t know yet, but we sure do love it. Just ask Megan Thee Stallion.

Making things even more iconic, M3GAN is voiced by internet star Jenna Davis, who has over 4 million followers on TikTok and went viral for her “Penny Nickle Dime” video.

There you have it. Move over Chucky, Annabelle, and Renesmee from Twilight, there’s a new creepy doll in town – and she’s face-tuned and equipped with the hottest dance movies.

Catch M3GAN in theaters on January 13, 2023.