Weeks ahead of its theatrical release, Universal Studios has pulled M3GAN's upcoming spinoff Soulm8te from its calender. It will no longer be hitting theatres on its scheduled January 9 release date.

Sources say the studio is currently shopping the Kate Dolan–directed film, which was initially positioned as part of the M3GAN universe. While the first M3GAN (2022) became a breakout hit, earning $180 million worldwide and nearly $80 million in profit, the sequel, M3GAN 2.0, failed to replicate that success this year. With a higher net budget ($25 million compared to the original’s $12 million), it managed only $39 million globally. It remains unclear where Soulm8te will eventually land.

Meanwhile, Paramount’s Walter Hamada–produced genre film Primate has shifted into Soulm8te’s former release slot, making a change inevitable.

In Soulm8te, a man acquires an artificially intelligent android to cope with the loss of his recently deceased wife. In an attempt to create a truly sentient partner, he inadvertently turns a harmless lovebot into a deadly soulmate. The film stars Claudia Doumit, Lily Sullivan, Isabelle Bonfrer, Emma Ramos, and Sydney Blackburn, among others.

Kate Dolan, who helmed the 2021 thriller You Are Not My Mother, is directing the film. She also rewrote the script, which was originally written by Rafael Jordan. The story is by Wan, Ingrid Bisu, and Jordan. The film reportedly took inspiration from the classic erotic thrillers of the 1990s.

Michael Clear and Judson Scott of Wan's Atomic Monster banner are executive producing, along with Ingrid Bisu. Alayna Glasthal is overseeing the project on behalf of Atomic Monster.