Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • GTA 6 cover art revealed
  • Summer Preview
  • Prime Day deals
  • Best gaming tech
  • New Games 2026
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Horror Movies
  4. M3GAN

M3GAN screenwriter talks prioritizing "fun" horror in the new movie

News
By Darren Scott Contributions from Emily Garbutt published 27 December 2022

Exclusive: M3GAN screenwriter Akela Cooper tells SFX about returning to "fun, wild horror"

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Amie Donald as M3GAN and Violet McGraw as Cady in M3GAN
(Image credit: Universal Pictures)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

If you've seen the trailer for M3GAN (TikTok dance and all), you know that we're in for a terrifying camp treat with the new horror movie. 

An eerily life-like doll, Model 3 Generative Android – or M3GAN for short – has been built using AI in order to become a protective companion to children. She’s brought into action when her creator Gemma (Allison Williams) suddenly finds herself caring for her orphaned niece Cady.

Malignant screenwriter Akela Cooper penned the movie, and a return to something fun was certainly at the forefront of her script. "We had a period of quote-unquote elevated horror, which was still good horror," Cooper tells SFX in the latest issue of the magazine, featuring Teen Wolf on the cover. 

Latest Videos From
Watch full video here:

"There’s places for all horror, though I do have to say, personally, as a child of the '80s, I am happy that we’re coming back to that ’80s sensibility of fun, wild horror. I was happy to have a hand in that last year with Malignant. For horror fans, it’s a smorgasbord, they have their pick of what they want to see. Variety is always nice."

Director Gerard Johnstone says that viewers shouldn’t expect a let-up from being tense, however. "M3GAN is scary more by virtue of you’re dealing with this," he explains. 

"She’s front and center on screen. It’s not like other movies where you have a sinister presence that’s lurking in the shadows and it’s maybe more about jump scares. M3GAN is a character in the movie. She’s not a presence. So she’s just very unsettling. It’s more that the overall experience of the film is really unsettling – in a fun way!"

M3GAN arrives in US theaters on January 6, before following to the UK on January 13. For more on the movie, be sure to pick up a copy of the new SFX Magazine, out Wednesday, December 18, and available to order online. 

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
Darren Scott
Darren Scott
Social Links Navigation
SFX Editor

I'm the Editor of SFX, the world's number one sci-fi, fantasy and horror magazine – available digitally and in print every four weeks since 1995. I've been editing magazines, and writing for numerous publications since before the Time War. Obviously SFX is the best one. I knew being a geek would work out fine.

With contributions from
  • Emily GarbuttContributor
Latest in Horror Movies
Dead by Daylight Alan Wake chapter
Horror Movies Blumhouse CEO tells fans to "have faith" after bringing on board a lesser-known horror helmer to direct Dead by Daylight
 
 
Curry Barker directing Michael Johnston in Obsession
Horror Movies Curry Barker says he has a "such a cool idea" for Obsession 2, but will come back to it "a little down the road"
 
 
Dead by Daylight
Horror Movies Dead by Daylight movie officially greenlit at Blumhouse, but still no word on which horror icons could appear
 
 
Erroll Shand as Edgar in Evil Dead Burn
Horror Movies Evil Dead Burn had a scene so violent it was cut to get an R-rating: "The director’s cut will be way more violent"
 
 
Inde Navarrette as Nikki in Obsession
Horror Movies Unexpected horror hit Obsession makes it into top 10 highest grossing movies of 2026
 
 
Hereditary
Horror Movies A prequel to one of the best horror movies of all time has been written, but it doesn't seem like it will ever be made
 
 
Latest in News
Minecraft Dungeons 2 screenshot
Minecraft Mojang says that Minecraft Dungeons 2 has more overt "callbacks to vanilla Minecraft"
 
 
Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition
RPGs RPG veteran Josh Sawyer says sometimes game designers "go overboard in removing friction"
 
 
Gears of War: E-Day screenshot
Gears of War The Coalition says making four-player co-op in Gears of War: E-Day was "a huge investment"
 
 
Gears of War: E-Day screenshot
Gears of War Active Reload may be an "iconic" feature, but The Coalition isn't afraid of changing it for Gears of War: E-Day
 
 
Cyberpunk 2077
The Witcher The Witcher 4 co-CEO says fully AI-generated games are coming, but he has "some doubts"
 
 
Grand Theft Auto 6 cover art
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 prices potentially leak off a European retailer, and it looks like Rockstar Games is charging between €90 and €200
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Link looks shocked in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
    1
    Shigeru Miyamoto decided Zelda dungeons aren't "really that much fun" while making Ocarina of Time
  2. 2
    The Coalition says making four-player co-op in Gears of War: E-Day was "a huge investment"
  3. 3
    This 150-card MTG TMNT bundle box is finally seeing some discounts, but it looks set to sell out any time now
  4. 4
    These are the gaming earbuds you need for premium precision, and for a few more hours they're at their lowest-ever price
  5. 5
    RPG veteran Josh Sawyer says sometimes game designers "go overboard in removing friction"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...