From Poltergeist to Chucky and Annabelle, killer dolls have been a staple of horror films since the beginning. Now, James Wan, the mastermind behind Saw, The Curse, and Dead Silence, has brought the killer doll trend back to the big screen with his new film M3GAN. In M3GAN, an artificial intelligence robot is created to protect a young girl, but she soon realizes that her robotic doll will use any means necessary to protect her, including murder. James Wan talks about what inspired him to make killer dolls a prominent part of his work and why he is so fascinated with them. He also reveals that he is a huge collector of such things and that his love for collectibles and figurines is what drives him to make movies about them. With M3GAN, James Wan has shown that practical effects can still be used to create a successful horror film. From the creepy atmosphere to the animatronic face and movements, M3GAN is sure to leave an impression on viewers. With M3GAN now in theaters, horror fans can experience the thrill of a killer doll movie once again.
Horror film producer, director and writer James Wang is no stranger to using killer dolls in his films. When you look back at every James Wan movie, his breakout “Saw” had a creepy tuxedo doll sending messages to Saw’s victims, “Dead Silence” had a ventriloquist doll, and “The Curse” movies had a cursed doll. Given that Wang’s latest film is M3GAN, in which the killer doll is once again the central figure, this Australian director explains why he is so obsessed with killer dolls.
M3GAN follows an artificial intelligence robot created by a roboticist with the intention of protecting his niece, left in her care after the loss of her parents. But since robots know nothing of limitations, this robotic doll will use any means necessary to protect anyone in her care, including murder. According to EW, James Wang talked about what inspired him to make killer dolls prominent in his work.
I would just write that I watched Poltergeist at a very young age. It was definitely a very impactful movie for me and I watched it at a very young impressionable age and it made a huge impression on me, and that creepy clown doll definitely left a mark on me for life.
The puppets really create a creepy atmosphere. Imagine trying to fall asleep only to see a porcelain doll or even one of your stuffed toys staring right at you. Anyone half asleep will think that this doll with a haunting permanent smile has slightly turned its head in your direction. All seven movies for Chucky caused fear of killer dolls in the audience. You might think that an innocent doll like Chucky just throws him across the room, only to discover that he has strength as strong as a human’s. While Chucky was pure fiction, the Annabelle films were based on a supposedly haunted doll that was found by paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. There was even a case when a Pennywise doll mysteriously ended up in a woman’s yard, forcing her to burn it. If dolls really can be vessels for dark spirits, you better believe the horror genre is taking great advantage of that opportunity.
Dolls appear not only in To James Wan movies, but also in his house. The insidious director continues to talk about his particular hobby, which further inflames his fascination with the creepy doll.
But I also want to say that I am a huge collector of such things. I love my collectibles, my figurines, so naturally the idea of making a movie out of one of these things comes to life, excites me. It’s exciting and, of course, in the horror genre, that means I can get a lot of enjoyment out of a story like that.
Not surprisingly, in the film M3GAN, heroine Gemma has her own collection of classic toys. One of the best features of this comedy horror film is that the character M3GAN was not created in CG. If you’re wondering if she’s real or animated, you can check out both. Each M3GAN medium was made with six or seven different dummies. Every shot of her walking or the moves she made for this viral dance scene was real child actor Amy Donald in a mask. The moments when her face moved, her eyes blinked, sound controls and other mechanical functions were animatronic. If M3GAN had only relied on computer graphics, the doll’s creepy behavior wouldn’t have been as convincing and wouldn’t have helped it get a super high rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Thank you, James Wang, for showing the film industry that practical effects can be very effective for a successful horror film.
To James Wan The creepy doll craze has given us some memorable horror franchise hits. Hopefully with the M3GAN sequel we will still see the use of killer dolls return to the big screen. Watch this killer doll sing, dance and kill in M3GAN 2023 premiering in theaters right now.
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