Meg 2: The Trench is officially set to make another megalodon-sized splash in theaters this summer, hoping to replicate the enormous bite its predecessor, The Meg, took out of the box office back in 2018.
Based on the novels written by Steve Alten, whose 1997 novel Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror was adapted for The Meg and whose 1999 sequel The Trench serves as the source material for Meg 2, the Meg franchise, as we can now call it, didn’t exactly enrapture critics with its first film. The Meg‘s 46 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 46 percent on Metacritic largely seem to be a result of having taken itself too seriously without having enough narrative meat to justify doing so.
But given the looks of the trailer we got for Meg 2 yesterday, it seems that Jason Statham and company are ready to finally lean into the strengths of a good old-fashioned creature feature by cranking up the monsters and the mayhem exponentially, and it just might pay off.
In the meantime, here’s everything you need to know about Meg 2: The Trench, from its upcoming release date to plot details to new and returning cast members.
When does Meg 2: The Trench come out?
Meg 2: The Trench will release to theaters on Aug. 4.
What is Meg 2: The Trench about?
Plot details for the Meg sequel are few and far between, but it seems that rescue diver Jonas Taylor has been roped into some more deep sea shenanigans, this time as part of a team sent to investigate a mysterious, new subaquatic ecosystem. There, he and his colleagues come face-to-fin with a slew of giga-sized sharks and other beastly sea creatures who decide they want to explore the ocean’s surface a bit more; cue boatloads of aquatic carnage and some high-octane man-versus-beast spectacle.
Who are the cast members of Meg 2: The Trench?
Action hero darling Jason Statham returns from The Meg as protagonist Jonas Taylor, while fellow returnees Cliff Curtis and Page Kennedy also reprise their roles as Taylor’s allies James Mackreides and DJ, respectively. Shuya Sophia Cai, meanwhile, will also reappear as Meiying Zhang, the daughter of Dr. Suyin Zhang (Li Bingbing), whose return from The Meg has not yet been confirmed.
Elsewhere, Wu Jing, Sergio Peris-Mencheta (Rambo: Last Blood), Skyler Samuels (Scream Queens), and Sienna Guillory (Eragon) have all joined the cast in undisclosed roles.
Behind the camera, Ben Wheatley will direct the film with a script from Dean Georgaris, Jon Hoeber, and Erich Hoeber, who also penned the screenplay for The Meg.