Meg 2: The Trench

Meg 2: The Trench (titled Shark 2 in some territories[2]) is a 2023 science fiction action film directed by Ben Wheatley from a screenplay by Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, and Dean Georgaris, based on the 1999 novel The Trench by Steve Alten. It serves as the sequel to The Meg (2018). The film stars Jason Statham, Wu Jing, Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Skyler Samuels and Cliff Curtis. Like the previous film, it follows a group of scientists who must outrun and outswim the titular megalodons when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival.

This article is about the film. For the original novel, see The Trench (novel).

Meg 2: The Trench
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBen Wheatley
Screenplay by
  • Jon Hoeber
  • Erich Hoeber
  • Dean Georgaris
Story by
  • Dean Georgaris
  • Jon Hoeber
  • Erich Hoeber
Based onThe Trench
by Steve Alten
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyHaris Zambarloukos
Edited byJonathan Amos
Music byHarry Gregson-Williams
Production
companies
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release dates
  • June 9, 2023 (2023-06-09) (SIFF)
  • August 4, 2023 (2023-08-04) (United States)
Running time
116 minutes[1]
Countries
  • China
  • United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$129–139 million[2][3]
Box office$395 million[4][5]

Plans for the sequel were announced to be in early development in October 2018 after the box office success of the first film. Wheatley replaced Jon Turteltaub as director, with the script being written by returning writers Dean Georgaris, Jon Hoeber and Erich Hoeber. Principal photography began in February 2022 and lasted until May, occurring in various locations in Asia and Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden, in Watford, Hertfordshire, England.

Meg 2: The Trench had its premiere at the Shanghai International Film Festival on June 9, 2023, and was released in the United States on August 4, by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film received mixed reviews from critics, but was a box office success, grossing $395 million worldwide.

Plot

Five years after the events of the first film, Jonas Taylor has been involved in fighting environmental crimes while also helping Mana One in exploring a further deep part of the Mariana Trench where the Megalodon had been found. Following the death of Suyin Zhang, Jonas has been raising her teenage daughter Meiying alongside her uncle and Suyin's brother Jiuming Zhang, who has acquired his father's company alongside wealthy financier Hillary Driscoll. Mana One has also been studying an 80 ft (24 m) female Meg called Haiqi, who was discovered as a pup and trained by Jiuming in a reserve in Hainan. Recently, Haiqi has been acting erratically, leading to Jonas being concerned despite Jiuming's enthusiasm.

Jonas and Jiuming lead a routine submersible exploration to the Trench, with Meiying stowing away to see the trench for the first time. Fellow Meg survivors DJ and Mac observe the group from the Mana One. On their way down, the subs are pursued by Haiqi, who escaped captivity the previous night; the subs dive down through the thermocline to escape, but Haiqi forces her way through it anyway. Two much larger Megs, a massive alpha male and a slightly smaller beta male, appear and mate with Haiqi. While working on an escape plan, Jonas and his team discover an illegal mining operation in a station captained by the mercenary Montes, who has a vendetta against Jonas for his imprisonment some time before. Montes' crew was hired by Driscoll to covertly use the Mana One's access to the trench to farm rare earth minerals that could earn them billions. Montes kills his crew in an explosion to cover up their activities, which causes a rupture in the trench and grounds both Jonas’ and Jiuming's ships.

DJ, Mac, and fellow Mana One analyst Jess discover that the rescue pod has been sabotaged, forcing the crew to use exosuits to walk towards the station in the creature-filled trench, with only Jonas, Meiying, Jiuming and security officer Rigas surviving the journey. Jess and Driscoll reveal themselves to be traitors and attempt to kill the four, but the four escape the station in another submersible after a scuffle with Montes, who escapes to the surface through a buoy. Driscoll sends mercenaries to take over the Mana One while Montes surfaces and meets with Jess. As the crew surfaces, they discover the rupture from earlier which leads to several of the creatures, including the three Megs, a swarm of lizard-like creatures known as Snappers and a giant octopus escaping the trench and reaching the surface.

Jonas’ crew meets with DJ and Mac, and Montes focuses the mercenaries on the crew after Jess is devoured by a Meg. Jonas’ team escapes to a nearby resort, Fun Island, to warn them of the approaching creatures. Driscoll, Montes and the mercenaries arrive at Fun Island to eliminate Jonas’ crew, but they are instead attacked by the Snappers, who kill Driscoll and several mercenaries. Jonas’ group splits up to evacuate the tourists as the Megs and the octopus begin their attack. Jonas manages to kill the beta male Meg using an explosive taped to a harpoon before being attacked by Montes, leading both to sail to the beach. The two battle before Jonas knocks Montes into the mouth of the alpha Meg to be consumed. Jiuming creates a bomb out of fertilizer and along with Mac takes over Driscoll's unattended helicopter to fly towards the beach where Meiying is trying to help tourists.

The octopus takes down the helicopter and Jiuming injures it with his bomb, attracting Haiqi, who engages in a battle with the Octopus and proceeds to kill the beast. As Jiuming swims towards the wreckage to save Mac, Jonas picks up one of the helicopter's rotors and uses it to fatally impale the alpha Meg through the head. Haiqi heads towards Jonas, Jiuming, and Mac, but Jiuming uses his training signals to divert her attention. Haiqi redirects her attention to a pod of dolphins swimming away. Making their way to the beach, Jiuming reasons that Haiqi escaped captivity because it was mating season, and discusses the possibility she is pregnant. Jonas decides that it is better not to think about it, and the group celebrate their survival.

Cast
  • Jason Statham as Jonas Taylor, Meiying's stepfather and the husband of the late Suyin Zhang
  • Wu Jing as Jiuming Zhang, Meiying's uncle[6]
  • Sophia Cai as Meiying, Jiuming's niece and Jonas' stepdaughter[7]
  • Cliff Curtis as Mac, Mana One operations manager[7]
  • Page Kennedy as DJ, an engineer at Mana One[7]
  • Sergio Peris Mencheta as Montes, a mercenary in charge of illegal mining operations, and Jess' partner
  • Skyler Samuels as Jess, a Mana One worker who is actually part of Montes' mercenary group and a high ranking executive for Driscoll
  • Melissanthi Mahut as Rigas, a security officer at Mana One
  • Whoopie Van Raam as Curtis, a diver at Mana One
  • Kiran Sonia Sawar as Sal, a diver at Mana One
  • Felix Mayr as Lance, a diver at Mana One
  • Sienna Guillory as Driscoll, a billionaire investor who is financing Jiuming's efforts in the Mana One[8]

Production

Development

In April 2018, Jason Statham said a sequel to The Meg (2018) would happen if the film did well with the public, saying: "I think it's like anything in this day and age – if it makes money, there's obviously an appetite to make more money. And if it doesn't do well, they'll soon sweep it under the carpet--but that's the way Hollywood works."[9] In August 2018, Steve Alten said: "My feeling has always been that this is a billion dollar franchise if it was done right. But to be done right you had to get the shark right, get the cast right, get the tone right. And Warner Bros. have nailed it completely. The producers have nailed it."[10] In October 2018, executive producer Catherine Xujun Ying announced a sequel was in the early stages of development.[11]

Pre-production

In March 2019, it was announced that a script for the film was in the works, with screenwriters Dean Georgaris, and Jon and Erich Hoeber returning.[12][13] In his September 2020 newsletter, Alten confirmed the script, titled Meg 2: The Trench, to be complete, and expressed interest in its "dark" tone.[14] In October 2020, Ben Wheatley was announced to direct.[15][16]

Filming

In April 2021, Statham said filming was set to begin in January 2022.[17] Filming commenced as planned at the end of January at the Warner-owned Leavesden Studios outside London, with principal photography starting on February 4, 2022.[18] It continued there until May before switching to outdoor locations, presumably in Asia. While the production was ongoing, Sienna Guillory, Skyler Samuels, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, and Wu Jing were announced as part of the cast.[18]

Post-production

DNEG, Scanline VFX and Milk VFX provided the visual effects for the sequel (with DNEG also handling the 3D conversion). Pete Bebb and Gavin Round served as production visual effects supervisor and production visual effects producer respectively.

Music

Harry Gregson-Williams composed the score for the sequel, returning from the first film.[19] WaterTower Music released a score album on July 28, in addition to the Bankay Ojo's remix version of Page Kennedy's song "Chomp."[20]

Release

Meg 2: The Trench was released by Warner Bros. Pictures in the United States on August 4, 2023.[7] The film had its world premiere at the Shanghai International Film Festival on June 9, 2023.[21]

Home media

Meg 2: The Trench was released on digital download on August 25, 2023, on the streaming service Max on September 29, and was released on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on October 24, 2023 by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.[22]

Reception

Box office

As of October 5, 2023, Meg 2: The Trench has grossed $82.6 million in the United States and Canada, and $312.4 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $395 million.[4][5]

In the United States and Canada, Meg 2: The Trench was projected to gross $20–30 million from 3,503 theaters in its opening weekend.[2] It made $12 million on its first day, including $3.2 million from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $30 million, finishing second behind holdover Barbie.[3][23] The film made $12.8 million and $6.7 million in its second and third weekends, finishing in fourth and sixth, respectively.[24][25]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 28% of 174 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "It isn't without its fun moments, but Meg 2: The Trench suffers from a disjointed story that drifts for too long before finally delivering a few campy thrills."[26] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 40 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[27] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B–" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled at PostTrak gave it an 72% overall positive score, with 55% saying they would definitely recommend the film.[23]

In a negative review, RogerEbert.com's Brian Tallerico gave one out of four stars, and wrote: "At least until the final half-hour, when he’s finally free to unleash some monstrous chaos, this is one of the dullest films of the year, a plodding, poorly made giant shark movie that inexplicably lets the giant shark take a backseat to an evil underwater drilling operation."[28]

Richard Lawson wrote in Vanity Fair: "Meg 2 is confident in its schlock, piling on one ridiculous conceit after another at such a pace that the audience can’t help but be swept up in it. That is a harder needle to thread than many filmmakers seem to think — it’s not enough to just be stupid."[29]

Future

In July 2023, Wheatley stated there had been internal discussions about a potential third installment. While its development depends on the success of The Trench, he hopes to continue the story as outlined in the novels by Steve Alten.[30]

See also

References
  1. "Meg 2: The Trench (12A)". BBFC. July 25, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  2. D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 2, 2023). "'Barbie' Heading To $1 Billion Global; Doll Will Walk On Shark & Turtles At Weekend Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  3. "'Barbie' Reaches $1 Billion at Box Office After $53 Million Third Weekend". TheWrap. August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  4. "Meg 2: The Trench (2023)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  5. "Meg 2: The Trench – Financial Information". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  6. Frater, Patrick; Yossman, K. J. (February 25, 2022). "Chinese Superstar Wu Jing Joins Jason Statham in Warner's Meg 2, Li Bingbing Exits the Mega-Shark Franchise (Exclusive)". Variety. Penske Media Corporation.
  7. Pedersen, Erik (March 9, 2022). "Warner Bros Release Dates: 'The Flash' & 'Aquaman' Moved To 2023; 'Wonka', 'Shazam' Sequel & Others Shift". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  8. Kit, Borys (February 23, 2022). "Meg 2: The Trench Adds Sienna Guillory, Skyler Samuels and Sergio Peris-Mencheta (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  9. Collis, Clark (April 23, 2018). "Jason Statham says 'The Meg' will get a sequel if giant shark movie hooks public". Entertainment Weekly. Meredith Corporation. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  10. "Will there be a 'Meg 2'? Writer Steve Alten on the potential 'billion dollar franchise'". Metro. August 13, 2018. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  11. D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 30, 2018). "'The Meg 2' In Very Early Stages: U.S.-China Entertainment Summit". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  12. Evans, Nick (March 2, 2019). "What's Happening With Jason Statham's 'The Meg 2'?". CinemaBlend. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  13. "Meg 2 The Trench". Writers Guild of America West. December 2, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  14. "Steve Alten's September 2020 Newsletter - MEG-2 movie update & more!". Steve Alten.
  15. Kit, Borys (October 23, 2020). "'The Meg 2' Finds Its Director With 'Rebecca' Filmmaker Ben Wheatley (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  16. "Ben Wheatley Directing The Meg 2". Empire Online. 2020.
  17. Motamayor, Rafael (April 28, 2021). "Jason Statham Says 'The Meg 2' Starts Filming Next Year, and He'll Be Back to Punch Another Shark in The Face". Collider. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  18. Frater, Patrick; Yossman, K. J. (February 25, 2022). "Chinese Superstar Wu Jing Joins Jason Statham in Warner's 'Meg 2,' Li Bingbing Exits the Mega-Shark Franchise (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  19. "Harry Gregson-Williams Scoring Ben Wheatley's 'Meg 2: The Trench'". filmmusicreporter. December 21, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  20. "Meg 2 The Trench Soundtrack Album Details". FilmMusicReporter. July 27, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  21. Brzeski, Patrick (June 9, 2023). "Shanghai Film Festival Launches With Chinese Industry in Comeback Mode". Deadline. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  22. Vejvoda, Jim (August 25, 2023). "Exclusive: Meg 2: The Trench Arrives on Digital August 25". IGN. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  23. D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 6, 2023). "2023 Domestic Box Office Surges Past $6 Billion This Weekend Due To 'Barbie', 'Oppenheimer', 'Turtles' & 'Meg 2' As Strikes Continue – Sunday Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  24. D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 13, 2023). "Greta Gerwig Breaks Global & US Box Office Records For Female Director With 'Barbie'; Why 'Demeter' Deep-Sixed – Sunday Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  25. D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 19, 2023). "'Blue Beetle' Still Eyes $25M; 'Strays' Goes To The Dogs With $8M+ – Saturday Box Office Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  26. "Meg 2: The Trench". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  27. "Meg 2: The Trench". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  28. Tallerico, Brian (June 23, 2023). "Meg 2:The Trench Review". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  29. Lawson, Richard (August 3, 2023). "Meg 2: The Trench Is Bigger, Sillier, and Better". Vanity Fair. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  30. Crowther, Jane (July 17, 2023). "Ben Wheatley is really hoping he'll get to make a Meg 3". Total Film. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
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