Blumhouse's Halfway to Halloween Festival: What Can Fans Expect from M3GAN, Annabelle and Ma's Return to Theaters?
- creepykingdom
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Blumhouse is bringing an unholy trinity - M3GAN, Annabelle, and MA - back to theaters nationwide, for one night only over three consecutive weeks, to headline its annual Halfway to Halloween Film Festival. The fest is even bigger and better this year, expanding nationwide for its second year.
The festival, part of Blumhouse’s 15th anniversary year, kicks off Friday, April 30 with M3GAN back on the big screen – but with a killer new tech twist: Blumhouse is teaming with Meta to bring to life Meta’s second screen experience, Movie Mate™ for the first time in theaters across the country. As fans interact with the M3GAN chat bot in theaters, they will receive never-before-seen content, trivia and behind the scenes info on the film in real time. It’s the perfect time to get reacquainted before Universal Pictures’ M3GAN 2.0, from Blumhouse and Atomic Monster, arrives in theaters June 27.
Audiences can see their favorite Blumhouse and Atomic Monster films back in theaters, and the festival will also include sneak peeks, exclusive recorded messages from directors and talent from the films, and surprise special appearances in select markets. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, April 9 at 9AM PT for the following films:
Wednesday, April 30 - M3GAN
Wednesday, May 7 - Annabelle
Wednesday, May 14 - MA
“The question we always ask ourselves is why can’t every day be Halloween? So Halfway to Halloween brings us one step closer, and I couldn’t be happier that this year we are going nationwide,” said Jason Blum, Founder and CEO, Blumhouse. “In that same spirit of trying new things, we’re excited to give M3GAN fans an all-new experience in theaters from the team from Meta.”
“We are excited to continue our longstanding history of innovation in the theatrical space with our friends at Universal Pictures,” said Omar Zayat, Group Lead Entertainment, Tech, Travel & Gaming, and Auto at Meta. “The M3GAN in-theatre Movie Mate is a first-to-market moviegoer experience. We are happy to introduce filmgoers to it by way of Instagram Direct and Click-to-Messenger Ads. We are thrilled to be working with Universal Pictures and Blumhouse to deliver rich experiences designed to get audiences back into theatres.”
Movie Mate™ is only available to moviegoers who are in a theater, and works by DM’ing the Instagram account @M3GAN account to start the experience. The entire experience is designed to leverage Meta’s capabilities to augment and uplevel the “second screen” viewing experience aimed at generating excitement ahead of the release of M3GAN 2.0 on June 27. Plus, Fandango is offering a BOGO ticket offer for M3GAN fans to rewatch the original on 4/30 as part of their ‘Don’t Go Alone’ horror series.
Learn more about this year’s Halfway to Halloween Film Festival here: www.HalfwayToHalloweenTickets.com, and be sure to check back as more showtimes are added.
About Blumhouse
Founded by CEO Jason Blum, Blumhouse is a film, television and gaming company regarded as the driving force in horror.
Following its merger with James Wan’s Atomic Monster in January 2024, the combined companies are responsible for nearly $9 Billion in worldwide box office, and have represented nearly 50% of the horror market in the last ten years.
Together the two companies have produced nearly 250 movies and television series, including the most successful horror franchise in history with the Conjuring Universe, making Blum and Wan the most prolific and successful independent producers of the last decade. The combined companies are home to the highest number of ongoing franchises of any studio, including Halloween, The Conjuring, The Purge, The Black Phone, Annabelle, Paranormal Activity, The Exorcist, Insidious, The Nun, M3GAN, and Five Nights at Freddy's, along with iconic films from cinematic visionaries including Jordan Peele's Get Out, Damien Chazelle's Whiplash and Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman.
In addition to film, Blumhouse produces provocative scripted and unscripted television series and documentaries, including the upcoming original series The Bondsman, starring Kevin Bacon and from creator Grainger David and showrunner Erik Oleson, for Prime Video; Worst Roommate Ever, and Worst Ex Ever for Netflix, which established Blumhouse Television’s first franchise, and The Jinx for HBO. The company also recently launched a games division and its first game, Fear The Spotlight was critically acclaimed.
Blumhouse was honored by Fast Company as one of its Most Innovative Companies in 2024 and one of its Brands That Matter in 2023. In addition, Jason Blum was named to the Annenberg Initiative’s first-ever Inclusion List as one of the Top Inclusive Producers from 2019-2022, with three films appearing on the list of Top 100 Most Inclusive Films. The company is investing in its brand development and connection with audiences through its consistent presence at Universal Studios’ annual Halloween Horror Nights, its first Halfway to Halloween Film Festival with AMC and its upcoming transformation of an exhibit space at the iconic Stanley Hotel from The Shining.