Following the release of The Meg 2: The Trench, attention is now shifting to any news about The Meg 3. The Meg, based on Steven Alten’s novel, hit theaters in August 2018 and proved to be a strong late-summer success, earning over $530 million worldwide. Its success led to the green light for a sequel, delving deeper into the story of massive prehistoric sharks causing chaos in the modern world and the brave scientists trying to stop them. With The Meg 2: The Trench hitting theaters, the anticipation for The Meg 3 is already building, and updates about the next installment are starting to emerge.
Meg 2: The Trench sets the stage for the franchise’s future in its finale, assuring viewers that Meg 3 will be even more epic than Jason Statham battling giant sharks. While Jon Turteltaub directed The Meg, with Jason Statham as deep-sea explorer Jonas Taylor, The Meg 2: The Trench brings Statham back as the lead in the sequel. This time, indie director Ben Wheatley (known for Kill List and High Rise) takes the helm, offering a fresh perspective to the shark attack genre. This unexpected direction not only makes The Meg 2: The Trench an interesting sequel but also contributes to the anticipation surrounding the future of the franchise, with news about The Meg 3 already making waves.
The Meg 3: Cast
The cast of Meg 3 is expected to include many familiar faces from the previous Meg movies. Jason Statham, a prominent figure, will likely return, reprising his role as the main character, the heroic deep-sea explorer Jonas Taylor, who featured in both The Meg and The Meg 2: The Trench.
Joining Statham in The Meg 2: The Trench, we see familiar faces like Cliff Curtis as Mac, Sophia Cai as Meiying, and Page Kennedy as DJ. This group appears to be a central cast for these movies, and we can likely expect their return in The Meg 3 since they all make it through The Meg 2: The Trench. Jing Wu joins the franchise as a new ally for Jonas. It’s important to mention that Li Bingbing, an international star, won’t be back for The Meg 2: The Trench, but there’s a possibility her character, Suyin, could make a return in The Meg 3.
The Plot
While there aren’t specific story details for The Meg 3 yet, there are hints about the franchise’s direction. Producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura mentioned (via Collider) a shift in tone for The Meg 2: The Trench, incorporating more comedic elements into the film. Reflecting on the response to the first movie, Di Bonaventura noted that they learned that “young could add more comedy than we originally thought in a shark movie.”
The conclusion of Meg 2: The Trench hints at the presence of more Megalodons in next movie.
The biggest hint about a sequel comes in the closing moments of Meg 2: The Trench. In the final scene, Jonas, Mac, Meiying, Juiming, Rigas, and DJ are on Fun Island, waiting to be rescued. Rigas suggests that Meg Haiqi might be pregnant after her time in the Trench. The film emphasizes that it’s mating season for the Megalodons, showing Haiqi swimming closely with two male Megs. Although both male Megs don’t make it to the end, Haiqi’s survival suggests she might have multiple babies before the next movie.
The concept of Meg 3’s storyline focusing on additional Megalodons is directly inspired by Steve Alten’s books, on which the franchise is based. The third book in the series, titled MEG: Primal Waters, expands on the revelation in The Trench’s ending, confirming that the female Meg has given birth to two sons. Instead of Meg 2 providing a clear hint about the future of the franchise, there’s some uncertainty left, suggesting the possibility of introducing more than just two new Megs in the movies. Since Meg 2 featured three Megalodons compared to the first movie’s two, having four giant sharks in Meg 3 would further increase their number.
Meg 3 has the potential to introduce a variety of new creatures
Expanding beyond just more Megalodons, Meg 3’s potential for being bigger is unveiled in Meg 2: The Trench. The film hints at the possibility of introducing new sea creatures. The question of whether other species exist below the thermocline is addressed by revealing a giant octopus and smaller reptile creatures in the Trench. Although the octopus and reptiles don’t survive, Meg 3 could uncover various other types of creatures thought to be extinct, residing in the Trench. Therefore, Meg 2: The Trench’s revelations about the Megs and the diverse marine life in the Trench set the stage for Meg 3.
The Meg 3: Release Date Expectations
While there’s a desire to continue the franchise, The Meg 3 has not been officially confirmed, and a release date is yet to be announced. Conversations about The Meg 3 have taken place among the creative team, including director Ben Wheatley. Although a Meg trilogy is not definitively planned, there’s also no ruling out the possibility of extending The Meg beyond two movies and into The Meg 3. Ultimately, the fate of the franchise will hinge on the success of The Meg 2: The Trench at the box office.
However, there is a strong belief that The Meg 3 will likely happen. The ongoing discussions among the creative team and the positive reception of the franchise suggest a promising future, making the prospect of a third installment seem highly probable.
If The Meg 3 is confirmed, it’s anticipated that we might have to wait until at least August 2025 for its release.
