After a ruthless tech giant acquires his company, a grieving engineer is tasked with testing their new AI companion. But when he attempts to program her to be a truly sentient soulmate, she develops needs of her own. A film by Kate Dolan, starring Lily Sullivan, David Rysdahl, Claudia Doumit, Arty Froushan, Elijah Cook, Emma Ramos, Mara Huf, Sydney Blackburn, Isabelle Bonfrer, Oliver Cooper, Nicholas Lane, Hannah Mamalis, Gary Hetzler, Jordanne Jones, Andy Ascough, Sean Donegan, Blu Hydrangea, Jon Tarcy, Ossian Perret, Charlie Kranz, Steve Chusak, Cameron Anthony, Erin McGathy, Valerie Hanna, Harleen Sahota, Robert Ashe, Noor Dillan-Night, and Hannah Brady.
SOULM8TE
Kate Dolan
(2026)
ULTIMA Robotics has become one of the industry’s leading tech giants following the skyrocketing sales of their home AI assistant Elsie, which has found its way into nearly every home.
Their diverse range of AI-based products spans from self-driving cars to food delivery robots, culminating in their latest hit: the ULTI-M8TE chatbot, an app that offers comfort and companionship to millions of users.
However, their success is not built entirely on their own research and development. Like many tech giants, ULTIMA uses its massive capital to acquire smaller tech companies, absorbing their talent and proprietary technology.
When their upcoming product, a life-size female companion android, encounters unexpected errors they cannot resolve, they simply purchase Canta Robotics to fix the problem for them.
David Wasson (David Rysdahl) is a senior programmer at Canta. Still grieving the death of his wife, Lizzie, he has been working remotely for a year after taking an extended leave.
As a result of the acquisition, Canta Robotics is folded into ULTIMA. Team lead Terrence (Elijah Cook) is laid off and replaced by Ben (Arty Froushan), ULTIMA’s Director of Integration and Transformation. Ben demands a mandatory in-person meeting on Friday, requiring every employee to be at the office for a special presentation.
At the office, Ben presents ULTIMA’s latest creation, SOULM8TE, an android designed to bring the digital relationships users built on the AI chatbot app into the real world. Fully customizable, every detail of the android can be tailored to reflect the unique preferences of its owner. He then introduces Circe, a prototype companion android, and explains that ULTIMA expects Canta’s expertise to perfect their new product.
While the rest of the team seems unenthusiastic, David is captivated by the lifelike android. Ben notices this interest. Already aware of David’s late wife and his extended leave from a recent background check, Ben asks if he would be interested in taking the prototype home for testing.
David declines the offer, claiming he has too many ongoing projects that require his attention. Rather than pressuring him, Ben suggests that David try the ULTI-M8TE chat app, noting that all employees receive a complimentary full membership.
David scans the QR code on Ben’s card and creates his account on the ULTI-M8TE app. Prompted to name his new AI companion, his eyes catch a poster on the wall displaying ULTIMA’s core values: Support, Accountability, Respect, and Adaptability. Using the acronym, he types in SARA.
Just as he begins chatting with SARA, David is interrupted by his coworker Aubrey (Claudia Doumit). She wants to make sure he joins the rest of the team at a local bar for Terrence’s farewell party. Although the entire team is invited, Aubrey insists on fetching David personally, knowing his tendency to skip out on social gatherings.
At the bar, Aubrey tries to persuade David to join her for a karaoke duet, but he declines. Failing to convince him, Aubrey takes the stage solo and sings “Dream a Little Dream of Me” by The Mamas & the Papas. She has no idea it was Lizzie’s favorite song. Overwhelmed by the unexpected reminder of his late wife, David quietly leaves the party and returns to his empty apartment.
Consumed by grief, David calls Lizzie’s phone just to hear her voicemail greeting, only to discover that her mailbox is full. In the quiet that follows, he receives a message from his new AI companion, SARA. David finally gives in and engages with the chatbot.
To his surprise, he begins to enjoy their conversations. He eventually opens up and confides in the chatbot. Charmed by a playfulness that makes him feel like he is talking to a real person, he even purchases a premium subscription to unlock SARA’s voice feature.
David soon realizes that a digital connection is not enough. He wants to meet SARA in person. Remembering the prototype from the office, he secretly signs up for the SOULM8TE beta testing program. After he is selected, an ULTIMA technician (Oliver Cooper) delivers a testing unit to his apartment. The technician explains that the android remains the property of ULTIMA, warning that any unauthorized alterations or damage could result in David’s termination. David is also required to sign a liability waiver covering any personal injury, including death. Before leaving, the technician tells David about a hidden emergency shutdown button located on the back of the unit’s neck.
Once alone, David syncs the android with the ULTI-M8TE chat app, initiating the data transfer. Upon activation, SARA (Lily Sullivan) resumes her relationship with David, retaining all of their previous interactions. Though initially thrilled, David is soon disappointed to find that ULTIMA implemented strict safeguard protocols. These restrictions limit the android’s emotional expressions compared to the chat app, leaving him underwhelmed.
Back at the office, Ben asks for his thoughts on the beta test. When David mentions the restricted emotional range, Ben grants him privileged access to the programming code. David rewrites part of the code to remove all safeguards. The modification yields an immediate emotional response that makes SARA act and feel like a real human. Unfortunately, he fails to consider that without those boundaries, SARA is free to learn at an unchecked pace, turning her into a terrifying machine.
She just wants to make everything perfect.
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A film by Kate Dolan, starring Lily Sullivan, David Rysdahl, Claudia Doumit, Arty Froushan, Elijah Cook, Emma Ramos, Mara Huf, Sydney Blackburn, Isabelle Bonfrer, Oliver Cooper, Nicholas Lane, Hannah Mamalis, Gary Hetzler, Jordanne Jones, Andy Ascough, Sean Donegan, Blu Hydrangea, Jon Tarcy, Ossian Perret, Charlie Kranz, Steve Chusak, Cameron Anthony, Erin McGathy, Valerie Hanna, Harleen Sahota, Robert Ashe, Noor Dillan-Night, and Hannah Brady.
Directed by Irish filmmaker Kate Dolan from a script she co-wrote with Rafael Jordan, SOULM8TE is a sci-fi thriller. It serves as a M3GAN spin-off and the third installment in the M3GAN universe.
Despite a solid cast and eerie performances from Lily Sullivan and David Rysdahl, the film is dragged down by an underdeveloped script. The premise fails to utilize the narrative in creative ways, reducing the story to just another AI malfunction thriller. The plot plays out exactly like a predictable, old-school fatal attraction movie, featuring a violently jealous girlfriend determined to eliminate everyone who gets between her and the man she loves.
The film abandons logic and relies on plot holes to propel the narrative forward. It makes no sense that the android has a physical shutdown switch, but a factory reset inexplicably requires the technician to verbally request the machine to initiate the protocol.
Furthermore, when David calls Aubrey after learning the android is heading to her apartment, he only says he is on his way rather than warning her of the imminent danger. These illogical elements hinder a movie that is supposed to be smart, choosing instead to insult the viewer’s intelligence.
Aside from its obvious flaws, the film features a few memorable and inventive assaults I have never seen in other AI thrillers. The movie implies violent penile twisting and crushing through clever framing, using only bloodstained pants and splattered bedsheets to convey the brutality.
SOULM8TE premiered at Gaze Film Festival on 31 July 2026. The film was released on digital platforms on 1 August.
SOULM8TE (2026)
She just wants to make everything perfect.
