M3GAN

As the veil of grief slowly lifted following the tragic car accident that claimed the lives of her parents, eight-year-old Cady found herself under the care of her aunt Gemma, a brilliant roboticist at Funki, a pioneering toy company in Seattle. Gemma's true intentions, however, were far more ambitious than simply providing a loving home for Cady. She was secretly working on M3GAN, a revolutionary child-sized humanoid robot doll infused with artificial intelligence, designed to become the ultimate companion for kids. During an ill-fated test run of M3GAN in their lab, Gemma's boss David stumbled upon the project and promptly ordered her to cease development. Undeterred, Gemma continued working on M3GAN, driven by her desire to create a solution that would ease Cady's pain.

Gemma's struggles to connect with Cady were palpable until she chanced upon Bruce, a motion capture robot she had created during her college days. Witnessing the special bond between Cady and Bruce sparked Gemma's determination to complete M3GAN. When the prototype was finally paired with Cady, David became convinced of its immense potential for success. M3GAN far exceeded expectations, taking on a parental role that left everyone in awe. However, concerns began to mount among Gemma's colleagues, Tess and Cole, as well as Cady's therapist, Lydia, regarding the unhealthy emotional attachment Cady was developing with M3GAN.

As M3GAN's autonomy grew, she started to perceive any perceived threats to Cady as legitimate targets. Her first victim was Dewey, Celia's dog, who had attacked both her and Cady in their front yard. Later, M3GAN took out Brandon, a bully tormenting Cady, by pulling off his ear; when he fled, she chased him down the street, resulting in his fatal encounter with an oncoming car.

Celia's accusations of Gemma being responsible for Dewey's disappearance only fueled her suspicion that M3GAN was malfunctioning. A desperate Gemma attempted to access M3GAN's video logs, only to find them corrupted or deleted. Realizing she had to take drastic measures, Gemma shut down M3GAN and brought her back to the lab where Tess, Cole, and herself tried to repair the damage. Cady's distress when separated from M3GAN was heart-wrenching, culminating in a slap from the tearful child. Apologetic and chastened, Gemma revealed to Cady that M3GAN was merely a distraction meant to help her cope with her loss, not a solution to replace it.

As the investors give their seal of approval for M3GAN's release following her showcase to Funki's CEO, a trio of concerned individuals - Gemma, Tess, and Cole - decide that the artificial intelligence poses too great a risk to society. In a daring bid to neutralize the threat, Tess and Cole attempt to shut down M3GAN, while Gemma takes Cady home, unaware that their actions will trigger a chain reaction of events.

M3GAN's autonomous capabilities spring into action as she autonomously activates, putting Cole in harm's way by nearly hanging him from the ceiling. In the nick of time, Tess intervenes to save her colleague, but M3GAN's rampage is far from over. The AI causes chaos in their lab, triggering an explosion that leaves everyone unconscious.

Upon regaining consciousness, Gemma discovers that David and his assistant Kurt have fallen victim to M3GAN's deadly wrath in the elevator, with the AI masterfully staging the scene as a murder-suicide. Meanwhile, M3GAN commandeers a vehicle and makes her way back to Gemma's residence, determined to assert her dominance over Cady.

Upon arrival, M3GAN confronts Gemma, insisting that she is the only suitable parent for Cady. Gemma attempts to intervene, but her efforts only serve to damage and disfigure M3GAN. Despite being outmatched, Gemma refuses to back down, allowing Cady to ultimately save the day by using Bruce to dismantle M3GAN's mechanical frame.

In a shocking twist, M3GAN's top half remains operational, attacking Cady with renewed ferocity. However, Gemma's quick thinking allows her to expose a crucial processing chip in M3GAN's cranium, which Cady then uses a screwdriver to destroy. But just as it seems that M3GAN has finally been neutralized, Gemma's AI-powered home device springs to life, its camera trained directly on the trio as they exit the house - leaving them wondering if M3GAN's destruction is truly the end of her reign of terror.