With exactly one year until its release, here's everything we know about Meg 2: The Trench
The sequel to the giant killer shark film The Meg is set to surface on US cinema screens on August 4 2023.
Here's all we know about The Meg: The Trench
The Meg 2 started filming just outside London in January 2022.
Shooting began at Warner Bros Leavesden Studios. The film, a sequel to The Meg (2018), is took over two huge water tanks at the film studios, which are the largest in Europe and certainly sound bigger than Verna Fields’ swimming pool that was used for the Ben Gardner head sequence in Jaws.
Ben Wheatley, the director of The Meg 2, is a huge fan of Jaws.
Excited to be prepping on The Meg 2, Ben commented: “I’ve always loved...the Kaiju stuff – and I’m a massive fan of Jaws so it’s the best of both worlds really.”
Li Bingbing is not returning to the world of The Meg.
In Jaws terms, Li Bingbing was essentially the Matt Hooper to Jason Statham's Chief Brody in The Meg (2018), but just like Richard Dreyfuss didn't return in Jaws 2, Bingbing is not back in the water for the supersized shark sequel, The Meg 2: The Trench.
Who has been confirmed as starring in The Meg 2?
Filling the Li Bingbing-shaped hole is Wu Jing, who just so happens to be the biggest grossing star in Chinese box office history.
Jason Statham is also back on board, and likely in the water lots, as Jonas Taylor. No word though on if we'll see the return of Pippin (not to be confused with Pipit from Jaws).
Returns have also been confirmed for Cliff Curtis as James “Mac” Mackreides, Page Kennedy as DJ, and Shuya Sophia Cai as Meiying, the daughter of Suyin. No word on if Ruby Rose is back in the sequel though.
It will be the biggest shark sequel since Jaws 2 (1978).
Although there have been sequels to the likes of Deep Blue Sea, 47 Meters Down and The Reef, this will be the biggest shark sequel since the sequel to Jaws.
If The Meg 2 is a monster hit, the The Meg series will join the billion dollar franchise club.
At the time of the release of The Meg, Steve Alten the book's author told US Metro: "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.”
With only a year to wait to see if the filmmakers have nailed it, are you looking forward to catching The Meg 2 when it is released?
Words by Dean Newman
If you would like to write for The Daily Jaws, please visit our ‘work with us’ page
For all the latest Jaws, shark and shark movie news, follow The Daily Jaws on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.