Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water, along comes another shark movie to scare the living daylights out of you. Meg 2: The Trench is showing at Cineworld cinemas from 4 August, and judging by the trailer it’s going to be a real white-knuckle ride, with huge sea monsters and action sequences galore. Coming five years after worldwide box office smash The Meg, this super-sized sequel reunites some of the original cast members, including Jason Statham as fearless search and rescue diver Jonas Taylor, Li Bingbing as oceanographer Suyin Zhang, and Cliff Curtis as research boss James ‘Mac’ Mackreides.
But what else do we know about this forthcoming blockbuster, and why should you come and see it? Paddle this way to find out…
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1. It was directed by Ben Wheatley
The original Meg film was directed by John Turteltaub (National Treasure), but this time the gig went to one of movieland’s hottest young talents, Ben Wheatley. Though the British director carved his reputation making indie films, including Kill List, A Field in England, and Sightseers, he relished taking the reins on such a big-budget blockbuster. “It’s an opportunity to do action on such a large scale,” he told ComicBook.com. “It’s just unbelievable.
2. It features a scary new sea monster
Jonas Taylor and his cohorts managed to quell the threat of the megalodon in the first film, but – as you’ve probably guessed – their woes are far from over. Indeed, in Meg 2: The Trench, they find themselves up against an even more terrifying creature, called the kronosaurus. Like the original movie, this instalment is based on a novel by Steve Alten (called The Trench) – so, if you’ve read it, don’t tell anyone what happens!
3. There are some awesome action scenes
Meg 2: The Trench isn’t for the faint-hearted, with blood-curdling, boat-busting action peppered throughout the film. The trailer shows Jason Statham fighting off a giant shark by kicking it in the teeth, an elderly couple trying to escape a sea-monster in a pedalo (good luck with that) and not one, not two, but three hungry megalodons homing in on the seashore, looking for their lunch. Jaws seems tame by comparison!
4. It stars a martial arts legend
Joining the cast this time round is legendary Chinese actor Wu Jing, who’s starred in dozens of martial arts movies in his home country. In Meg 2: The Trench, he plays Jiuming, a member of Jonas Taylor’s team – and, judging by the trailer, he’s constantly in the thick of it. In one scene, we see him battering one of the ocean predators with a shovel. That’ll teach them to mess with Wu!
5. The scenery is stunning
While there’s plenty of action to absorb in this movie, a nice bit of scenery never goes amiss – and Meg 2: The Trench has it in spades. Unlike the original film, which was primarily filmed in New Zealand, Meg 2 was mainly shot in Thailand and Hong Kong, with some lovely beach scenes to feast your eyes on. The UK also got in on the act, though, with some of the more technical scenes shot at Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden.
6. It may not be the last Meg film
You’d think that Ben Wheatley might want a nice, long rest after making such an exhausting movie – but he’s already considering the possibility of a third Meg film. “You don't want to talk about it until Meg 2 is out, but I hope so," he told Total Film. “There's a lot more to explore in that world. It's very rich. The international-ness of it is very interesting.” How much bigger and scarier can those sharks get? Only time will tell…
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