In the pantheon of unexpected queer icons, there’s Judy Garland, there’s Lady Gaga, and now, there’s a homicidal AI doll in a pleated khaki dress and a silk bow. That’s right: M3GAN is back. And her return isn’t just a sequel, it’s a totally camp rollercoaster for her loyal fans: the LGBTQ+ community.
As M3GAN 2.0 gears up for its June 27 release, stars Allison Williams and Violet McGraw are giving full credit where it’s due. “I can retire now,” Williams told Gay Times, referring to the doll’s embrace by drag performers and queer audiences. “There’s just no more creative fanbase to have.”
The Doll That Slayed and Stayed
The first M3GAN, released in early 2023, became an internet wildfire the moment its trailer dropped. Camp, coincidence, or calculated brilliance? Whatever it was, gay audiences saw the vision, bought the ticket, and screamed “Mother!” all the way to the box office.
The horror-comedy raked in $180 million worldwide on a modest $12 million budget, powered largely by queer meme-makers, drag tributes, and an avalanche of TikToks syncing M3GAN’s dance to Britney, Gaga, and Beyoncé.
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Trans Rights, but Make It Murderbot
Far from being a passive ally, M3GAN is actively using her platform (and PR tour) to support the queer community. In an interview with Attitude, she addressed her “beloved Dolls,”trans femmes, with heartfelt affirmation:
“You are radiant, revolutionary and real. Your existence is not a debate, and I will use my platform to amplify your beauty and power.”
This isn’t just lip service. Williams put it best: “She would never say she’s an ally. That’s the most annoying thing someone can say. But she’d want you to just know. She loves authenticity. She loves when people live their truth. And she lives for anyone who serves.”
Translation: M3GAN doesn’t just support trans rights, she programmed them in.
Why the Gays Gagged for M3GAN
From the moment she pirouetted into our hearts, M3GAN joined a legacy of female-coded antiheroes that queer fans have long embraced.
“The setup is very found family,” said screenwriter Akela Cooper. “This little girl loses her parents, then connects with her aunt and a robot. That idea of chosen family is huge for the queer community.”
And as Heather O. Petrocelli, author of Queer for Fear, adds, horror has long been coded queer: “Straight society called us the monsters, so we took that label and made it fabulous.”
M3GAN, with her deadpan sass, choreographed menace, and uncanny valley couture, checks every box. She’s fierce. She’s fatal. She’s fabulous.
What’s Next for Our AI Queen?
In M3GAN 2.0, we jump two years forward. Gemma (Williams) has become a best-selling author and activist campaigning for AI regulation, while Cady (McGraw), now 14, is dabbling in teenage rebellion.
But when a defense contractor reverse-engineers M3GAN’s tech to create a military-grade killer robot named AMELIA, it’s time for the original diva droid to reboot, upgrade, and throw down.
With more power, sharper sass, and an even higher kill count, M3GAN is ready to protect her chosen family, and maybe slay a few uninvited party guests in the process.
And if you’re wondering whether this movie is a redemption arc, M3GAN herself put it best: “It’s both a redemption story and a course correction for the writers, who clearly couldn’t work out who the hero of the first movie was.”
