Jason Statham vs 75-foot shark: Round 2.
We’re going to be perfectly honest and say that The Meg was fine. It wasn’t great, it wasn’t Jaws, it was fine.
If we have two criticisms to make, the ending really should have upped the gore factor and why did every single actor bar Jason Statham think that they were actually making a serious film?
Christ, come on people. It has a 75-foot shark!
Anyway, we covered all of that in our review but just like a 75-foot shark that has developed a taste for human flesh, we continue to swim forward.
Despite the film’s flaws, there was plenty of moments to enjoy as ‘The Stath’ ultimately laid the smackdown on The Meg’s toothy ass and in terms of the box-office, the film took a huge bite (get it?) out of the global market.
At present, it’s the most successful US/Chinese co-production ever with $527.8 million.
Well, it’s time to go back in the water because The Meg 2/The Meg Strikes Back/2 Fin 2 Furious/The Meg 2: Electric Megaloo/The Megfather: Part 2 (we really hope they go with one of those titles), is already in pre-production.
During the US/China Entertainment Summit in Los Angeles, The Meg executive producer Catherine Xujun Ying announced that that a sequel to the bonkers shark film is already in the works.
“That is definitely the plan. It’s still in the very early stages, but we’re working on it. We’re trying to keep it secret at this time,” said Ying in an interview with Variety.
Deadline have also reported that the sequel doesn’t have any screenwriters yet and that the project isn’t officially greenlit, but given its takings at the box-office, this appears to be just a formality.
Dear Hollywood people, if you’re making The Meg 2/The Meg II: The Legend of Megy’s Gold/Meg 2: Cruise Control/Indiana Meg and the Kingdom of the Crystal Meg, we do have some points.
1) Let there be blood – The damn shark has to devour lots and lots of humans. Show the gore!
2) Get Jason Statham back – Just leave a truck full of money at his house and get him to sign a contract to make seven more films about The Meg.
3) Spend more time on the shark – Nobody needs to know what the supporting characters are up to.
4) Let Jason Statham punch the damn shark – It’s what we all want to see.
If they follow our notes, we fully expect to see Legally Meg 2: Red, Dead & Meg/ Meg Hard: With a Vengeance/Meg Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Meg, win a few Oscars.
We’re still hoping that this is going to be the greatest film ever.
The Meg, of course, is based on a 1997 book titled Meg: A Novel Of Deep Terror, which is the first of eight novels about the giant killer shark.
Eight. Gigantic. Shark. Films. Could it be?
What a time to be alive.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
