It has been four years since The Meg gave us a dose of cheesy monster movie silliness we were all craving - but now, we're hungry for more.
The long-awaited blockbuster sequel, entitled Meg 2: The Trench, is currently in production. But what do we know about the film so far?
Here's everything we know.
Filming Is Underway
Shooting started in February 2022 at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, with the unlikely choice of Ben Wheatley in the director's chair this time around.
That's right, the guy who gave us Kill List and Sightseers has now set his sight on a very hungry shark.
Wheatley previously told Zavvi: “I’ve wanted to work with Statham for years, I think he’s brilliant and I have watched all his movies. And the giant shark side of it too is great. When they sent me the script, I thought ‘how can I not say yes to this?!’”
“I’ve spent the last six or seven months just storyboarding and working out massive, massive action sequences for Statham to be menaced by giant, prehistoric fish!”
Wheatley may be the perfect choice to direct the film, as according to Steve Alten (who wrote The Meg series of novels the films are adapted from), the sequel script will have a much darker tone, with some speculating this latest adventure might be R-rated. If this is true, we can't wait.
The Cast
Jason Statham will be reprising his role as rescue diver Jonas Taylor, with Cliff Curtis, Sophia Cai, and Page Kennedy all reprising their parts from the first film.
Rainn Wilson, Ruby Rose, and Masi Oka have not been announced as returning this time around though.
New characters for the sequel will include Sergio Peris-Mencheta as a villain (described as a hard-edged mercenary), with Skyler Samuels and Sienna Guillory playing allies of Statham's hero: the former as a member of Taylor's submarine team, the latter as a scientist.
The Plot
If the film is closely following the novels, then it will take place four years after the events of the first movie.
A synopsis from the book series reads: "On the other side of the world, in the silent depths of the ocean, lies the Mariana Trench, where the Megalodon has spawned since the dawn of time. Paleobiologist Jonas Taylor once dared to enter this perilous cavern.
"He alone faced a Megalodon shark and cut its heart out. Now, as the body count rises and the horror of a monster's attack grips the Californian coast, Jonas must begin the hunt again and face his deepest fears - all in order to save his job, his family, and himself."
In another words, it sounds like we're back on familiar territory - but with the potential for much more gruesome stakes.
Meg 2: The Trench is currently scheduled for release on 4th August 2023.For all things pop culture, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
