Brace yourselves, because the summer of 2023 is poised to take a thrilling and terrifying turn with the much-anticipated release of Meg 2: The Trench. This soon-to-be summer blockbuster is set to seize control of the box office, as the sequel to the 2018 hit, The Meg, promises to deliver a grand narrative, uniting the genres of science fiction, horror, and adventure under the crafty direction of Ben Wheatley, known for his work in Ideal, Doctor Who, and Rebecca.
In a recent interview with Total Film magazine (as sourced from ComicBook.com), Wheatley shared some insights into his extensive preparatory work for this sequel:
“By the time I got to ‘The Meg,’ I’d done a lot of effects work, and I had an inkling of it. And because of the pandemic, I had an extra six or seven months, so I storyboarded the whole thing, every frame of it. So, when we came to start it, there was a massive amount of prep that had been done. I don’t like the idea of these tales of people making it up on the day. I wanted every dollar on screen.”
In contrast to Jon Turteltaub, the director of the first movie, Wheatley brings an ambitious vision to the project. The initial film, The Meg, took inspiration from Steve Alten’s horror/sci-fi tale, The Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror (1997). Alten’s subsequent novel, The Trench, released in 1999, served as the premise for this sequel, as alluded to by the book cover proclaiming it “the sequel to the ‘Jurassic shark’ bestseller.” Now, Meg 2: The Trench is poised to make a huge splash in the box office.
Wheatley’s Ambitious Sequel Primed to Draw Crowds
Ben Wheatley, the new man in the director’s chair for the film Meg 2: The Trench, is all set to confront his metaphorical sharks when the movie launches in theatres next week. The movie features a diverse blend of talents, including survivors from The Meg, with the likes of Jason Statham and Cliff Curtis confirmed to reprise their roles.
The director, while speaking about the movie’s characters and storyline, noted:
“The international-ness of it is very interesting. What’s so smart about the first film is that it’s not ‘Rush Hour.’ It’s not East-meets-West, ‘Oh, we’re all confused about each other’ … It’s just people working together, and being in an everyday adventure, and the people just happen to come from places all over the world. I think that’s good for audiences, and it’s a good message as well.”
If Meg 2: The Trench manages to make waves rather than sink at the box office, Wheatley is ready to navigate the sequel, Meg 3, through cinematic seas. The third book in Alten’s sci-fi/horror series, Meg: Primal Waters (2004), could potentially serve as the source material. However, with an extensive range of narratives at their disposal, courtesy of Alten’s repertoire revolving around The Meg, the creative team has a treasure trove of stories to explore. Wheatley, for his part, is undeniably ready for more marine-themed adventures.
As Wheatley confided to Total Film:
“You don’t want to talk about it until ‘Meg 2’ is out. But I hope so. There’s a lot more to explore in that world. It’s very rich.”
While it’s too early to predict the box office performance for Meg 2, its predecessor, The Meg, raked in $531 million worldwide, defying its $130 million budget (according to Box Office Mojo). If Meg 2 can emulate or surpass this performance, the possibility of Meg 3 becoming a reality and further captivating audiences could become a reality.
The anticipation is certainly mounting, with early screenings of Meg 2: The Trench scheduled to commence in theatres on Thursday, August 3. The summer of 2023 is undoubtedly going to be a tumultuous and thrilling time at the cinema, thanks to the return of the prehistoric aquatic terror.
