The M3GAN franchise's commercial fortunes shifted dramatically between installments. The 2019 original became a global phenomenon, earning $180 million worldwide from a $12 million budget, but the 2024 sequel struggled significantly, grossing only $39.1 million. This performance decline altered plans for Soulm8te, a spinoff featuring Lily Sullivan as an AI companion named Sara who becomes dangerously fixated on a grieving widower portrayed by David Rysdahl.

Originally scheduled for theatrical release, Soulm8te was removed from Universal's cinema calendar in December, with its future in question. The project ultimately secured a home entertainment distribution deal through Blumhouse Atomic Monster, premiering on August 1. Director Kate Dolan crafted the screenplay to function as an erotic thriller within the M3GAN universe, drawing inspiration from classic films of that genre. She collaborated closely with James Wan, who conceived the original story concept alongside Ingrid Bisu and Rafael Jordan, to establish a tonal balance between the sensibilities of 1980s-90s erotic thrillers and the existing franchise identity.