The competition for Second Best Shark Movie Ever Made is always fierce, with the likes of Deep Blue Sea, The Shallows, and more duking it out for the coveted number two slot beneath that unbeatable juggernaut, Jaws. And lo, what’s this? A new contender is entering the ring—or possibly pool—with the arrival in the theatres of Meg 2: The Trench on August 3.
Meg 2 is, of course, the sequel to 2018’s The Meg, which saw perennial action fave Jason Statham battle a remnant Megalodon (that’s a giant prehistoric shark, palaeontology fans) for our entertainment and elucidation. The film is based on Steve Alten’s bestselling novel, Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror, and spent a suitably giant-sized time in development, having first been optioned way back in 1996. Given that, the five year wait for a sequel seems like small fry.
What’s interesting about the sequel, this time based on Alten’s follow-up book The Trench, is that directing duties are being handled by British horror specialist Ben Wheatley, who gave us such wonderful oddities as A Field in England and High-Rise. It marks Wheatley’s biggest project to date, and we’re very curious about how his indie horror sensibilities will mesh with the big budget bombast of a giant shark flick.
Statham is back on board as heroic rescue diver Jonas Taylor, once more ably assisted by Cliff Curtis’ Mac. Other than that, the OG cast are out, with a new roster on deck that includes Sienna Guillory, Page Kennedy, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, and Wu Jing.
Those details aside? No further data is at hand. Hazarding a guess, the giant shark that was captured at the close of the previous film will get out and eat some people. That strikes us as a safe bet. But until the trailer drops, we’re as mystified as you.
The Meg 2: The Trench
