M3GAN Gets a Meta Makeover: Theater Tech Is Getting Spookily Interactive

Okay horror fam, hold on to your cozy blankets and don't spill your popcorn—because the future of horror movie nights just got a very Black Mirror twist.

Our favorite killer doll with a snatched wig and impeccable side-eye, M3GAN, is back in theaters this spring. But this isn’t your typical re-release. Thanks to Meta’s new second-screen theater tech, audiences won’t just be watching the movie—they’ll be in it.

What does that even mean?

In select theaters, moviegoers can sync their phones to the film via a dedicated app. As you watch M3GAN be her unhinged, sassy, murderous self, your phone will light up with eerie notifications—texts from characters, fake news alerts, creepy camera glitches. Basically, it's like your phone has become another character in the story. Interactive horror immersion? Yes please.

It’s giving:

• Found footage
• ARG vibes
• “Did my phone just get possessed?” energy

Meta’s head of story tech says the goal is to “break the fourth screen”—not just the fourth wall. They want audiences to feel like the film is unfolding with them, not just in front of them. It’s the kind of blend between tech and storytelling that makes us giddy in the best way (like watching Unfriended with the lights off and regretting all your life choices).

So why M3GAN?

Honestly, it’s perfect. M3GAN is technology gone off the rails. She’s TikTok-savvy, Alexa-adjacent, and 100% capable of sending push notifications about your demise. Pairing her with this new tech feels like a match made in cozy horror heaven.

And don't worry—if you're like me and live for a creepy movie night but still want to keep your screen time somewhat in check, the phone sync is optional. You can totally just soak in the upgraded audio and visuals, which include enhanced lighting effects in the theater and extra spooks in surround sound.

What this means for us cozy horror nerds

This could be a game-changer for how we experience genre films. Imagine a haunted house movie where your phone vibrates with ghostly whispers, or a slasher flick that texts you warnings just a second too late. It’s immersive, it's clever, and it makes going to the movies feel special again. Gimmicks for horror films are nothing new (think William Castle's 13 Ghosts presented to theaters in Illusion-O), but there is no better audience for silly immersive storytelling than us horror fans.

Now, who’s coming with me to see M3GAN 2.0? I’ll bring the fuzzy socks and sour gummies—you bring the phone with Do Not Disturb OFF. Let’s be BFFs.