If you’ve been to the movies lately, you know it can be a gamble. From glowing phone screens to people scrolling through TikTok mid-film, the cinematic experience is constantly under threat. Now, with a new partnership between Meta and Blumhouse, that fragile peace might get even worse.
Blumhouse and Meta Announce Movie Mate at M3GAN Re-Release
On April 9, Blumhouse announced it will re-release three of its biggest horror hits—Annabelle, Ma, and M3GAN—as part of its Halfway to Halloween festival, celebrating the studio’s 15-year anniversary.
But the big news? The April 30 re-release of M3GAN will feature the debut of Meta’s Movie Mate, an AI-powered chatbot that audiences can activate by messaging the film’s official Instagram account. This feature is meant to enhance the so-called “second-screen experience” by delivering live trivia, behind-the-scenes facts, and exclusive M3GAN content while the movie plays.
The Second-Screen Experience Could Damage Cinema Culture
While Meta and Blumhouse are marketing Movie Mate as an exciting innovation, many moviegoers—and cinephiles in particular—see it as a red flag. Encouraging the use of smartphones in a dark theater directly contradicts the idea of immersive storytelling and communal viewing.
Even if the Movie Mate chatbot is only available at select screenings, it normalizes a behavior that already disrupts the traditional moviegoing experience. The fear is that if Movie Mate becomes popular, it will further blur the line between watching a film and multitasking—something already rampant thanks to social media and streaming platforms.
Horror Fans Say No to AI Distractions in Horror Movies
The irony? M3GAN is a movie about a rogue AI doll, and now the re-release is being promoted with… another AI tool. It’s a perfect (and unintentional) case of life imitating art. Yet the real horror may be less about dolls gone wild and more about the creeping erosion of cinema etiquette.
Phones already distract viewers. Bright screens, casual scrolling, and screen recording have become frequent complaints. With Movie Mate, there’s now a studio-sanctioned excuse for it—and that could have lasting effects on how people behave in theaters.
Why Movie Mate Might Work Better at Home
The concept behind Movie Mate isn’t all bad. Fans genuinely enjoy interactive content, trivia, and behind-the-scenes material. But the movie theater might not be the right place for it. Instead, this type of AI movie companion seems better suited to at-home viewing, where second-screen use doesn’t interfere with anyone else’s experience.
Promotions like these raise important questions about the future of the cinema industry. As studios and tech giants try to merge storytelling with interactivity, we must ask: Are we gaining more, or losing the magic that makes movies special?
