M3GAN screenwriter Akela Cooper has opened up about how the horror film’s killer doll has already been dubbed a queer icon.

Cooper discussed how M3GAN has been adopted by members of the queer community during an interview with SFX Magazine. "I actually asked one of my friends who is a gay man about that and he was saying this set-up is actually found family, where this little girl has lost her family, and she has to go live with her aunt," she said. "Then this doll is also brought into the situation. That resonates for a lot of people in the gay community, the idea of found family."

Related: M3GAN: Allison Williams Breaks Down the Horror/Comedy & the Terror of Furbies

Cooper explained that her friend applauded the fact that the filmmakers chose a character with a strong emotional core that attracted individuals within the LGBTQ+ community. "Then you get to the dance scene. And it's like, 'Yes! Yes to all of this!' and it's just even better," Cooper said. "So I like to think that it is the emotional aspect that pulls people in first, and then M3GAN's awesome dance moves seal the deal."

M3GAN is a science-fiction horror film directed by Gerard Johnstone with a screenplay by Cooper and a story by Cooper and James Wan. The horror flick follows Gemma (Allison Williams), a robotics engineer who builds an AI doll that she gifts to her newly orphaned niece, Cady (Violet McGraw). The doll quickly takes a life of its own and becomes violent in an attempt to protect anyone she sees as a danger to Cady.

Related: M3GAN: Jason Blum & James Wan Dish on What Makes the Horror/Comedy Combo Work

With a score of 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes , M3GAN has released to near-universal acclaim for its direction, screenplay and acting performances. According to recent estimates, the film is set to have the biggest opening weekend since Avatar: The Way of Water. CBR's Caitlin Chappell also praised M3GAN for its creative writing and direction: "M3GAN embraces dark humor and camp for a sci-fi horror hybrid that delivers an iconic horror villain and an entertaining exploration of humanity."

In a recent interview with CBR, M3GAN director Johnstone shared his approach to creating a film that balanced both comedy and horror within the setting of a family drama. "You know, whenever I'm doing something, humor always sneaks in. [M3GAN] maybe was a little straighter before it came my way," Johnstone said. "I just love it when a film can be many things. My horror icons are Sam Raimi and Wes Craven and people like that, that were always injecting a lot of different tones into [their work]. So really, I'm just following in the footsteps of those guys," he added.

M3GAN is currently playing in theaters.

Source: SFX Magazine