M3GAN has strong box office debut – and a sequel is reportedly in the works

M3GAN, the new horror film all about the TikTok dancing killer doll, has debuted to a strong box office total despite stiff competition from 2022's highest grossing movie, Avatar: The Way of Water.

The horror film opened to $30.2 million domestically, with a global total of $45 million (H/T Variety). That's way ahead of predictions – the film was expected to open to somewhere between $17 and $20 million domestically – and also means it's currently the second biggest film in the US, behind the Avatar sequel.

The dancing doll has become a viral sensation since the first trailer's release and word of mouth is said to be strong. The film is also currently sitting at a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score.

Given the film's success, it's no surprise that more might be on the way. Per Deadline's sources, a sequel is in early development. No further details have been revealed just yet, though a sequel was reportedly being discussed way back in November. The first film is directed by Gerard Johnstone and co-created by James Wan.

Despite the dance scene's popularity, though, Johnstone has revealed that he wanted it to remain a surprise. "I was really worried when I saw the trailer and saw how much dancing it was, I was like, 'Oh my god, you're giving it away and you've got to cut'. I did want it to be a surprise. I wanted it to be a really fun surprise," he commented.

M3GAN is in US theaters now and arrives in UK cinemas this January 13. For much more on the movie, check out our interviews with Johnstone and star Allison Williams.

I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.