Kiwi dancer goes viral in creepy trailer for terrifying horror movie 'M3GAN'

The first trailer for new horror movie M3GAN has been released - and there are a number of surprising Kiwi connections fans have spotted in the clip.

The movie, filmed in New Zealand, tells the story of an AI doll named M3GAN - a shorthand for "Model 3 Generative" - whose attempts to protect a young girl quickly turn deadly.

The trailer quickly went viral for featuring Taylor Swift's 2019 song It's Nice to Have a Friend as its soundtrack, as well as the doll's creepy dance moves.

The impressive movements were performed by 12-year-old Kiwi dancer Amie Donald. It's her big-screen acting debut, though she previously starred in Robert Downey Jr's Netflix series Sweet Tooth, also filmed in New Zealand.

Get Out's Allison Williams stars as a robotics engineer named Gemma who gains custody of her orphaned niece Katie, played by Violet McGraw.

Gemma introduces her niece to the prototype for AI android M3GAN and the pair quickly form a bond.

Donald received movement coaching from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power actors Jed Brophy and Luke Hawker, sharing a snap posing with them on Instagram.

Donald's moves quickly went viral on Twitter, as fans shared memes of her "sick dance moves" and wrote that other creepy dolls Annabelle, Chucky and Tiffany were "found gagging".

Even Megan Thee Stallion wrote, "Not being biased but I think they made this movie for me," sharing the trailer on Twitter.

"I will be THEE FIRST in line to see M3GAN."

A shot of Auckland University of Technology's communications building even features in the trailer.

Annabelle producer Jason Blum also worked on the film, directed by Kiwi Gerard Johnstone (Housebound, Jaquie Brown Diaries).

The film also stars Ronny Chieng, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Arlo Green, Jen Van Epps, Stephane Garneau-Monten and Michael Saccente.

M3GAN is set to hit theatres in New Zealand on 12 January 2023.

This article was first published by the NZ Herald is republished here with permission.