M3GAN Screenwriter Akela Cooper Was Influenced By Classic Horror Movie Magic

Released in 1978, "Magic" stars Anthony Hopkins as Charles "Corky" Withers, a struggling magician who gets more than he bargained for when he brings in a ventriloquist dummy (nicknamed "Fats ") in its number. If the premise alone doesn't make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, maybe the movie trailer:

Striped by Richard Attenborough (director of 'Gandhi' and star of 'The Great Escape' and 'Jurassic Park') from a screenplay written by William Goldman, scribe of 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' and "The Princess Bride". based on his own novel, "Magic" left an impression on a young Akela Cooper. "My thing was ventriloquist dummies," Cooper told Empire Magazine. "I saw the Anthony Hopkins movie 'Magic' at a very young age and it cemented the goosebumps in my brain. I was also a big fan of 'Child's Play'. I always dreamed of create my own iconic monster."

Cooper herself just penned the gloriously twisted and bizarre love letter to Giallo films that is "Malignant," which James Wan also directed and co-wrote. It looks like the pair are determined to outdo each other by teaming up with Gerard Johnstone on “M3GAN.” The film's trailer is full of weirdly creepy moments, whether it's a scene where the titular doll tries to rip off a child's ear or attacks someone with a nail gun. Then there are the glimpses of M3GAN performing some sort of stumbling dance, which has already become a popular meme on social media. Cooper, for her part, told Empire that she "can't wait for people to hear the song choice" in the film.

“M3GAN” hits theaters on January 6, 2023. As for “Magic,” that film is in the early stages of getting a Sam Raimi remake.