SOULM8TE is a new erotic thriller expanding the M3GAN cinematic universe, bringing together actors Lily Sullivan and David Rysdahl for a techno-thriller exploring how people attach to artificial intelligence. The film centres on a grieving man who develops a relationship with an artificially constructed woman, using this premise to examine themes of loneliness, dependency, desire, and loss. In a podcast discussion, the actors reveal how they approached bringing these complex themes to the screen with nuance and authenticity.

Rysdahl frames his character's relationship with the AI as a form of addiction comparable to modern technological dependencies on phones and social media, deliberately avoiding moral judgment to let audiences form their own conclusions. Sullivan, working with a movement coach, developed an unconventional physicality for her role that emphasised the artificial nature of her character whilst drawing on the legacy of constructed femininity in cinema. Both performances suggest the film is less interested in depicting AI as an external threat and more focused on how human vulnerability and technological availability intersect.