Director Ben Wheatley talks about why he wanted to helm “Meg 2: The Trench”
Ben Wheatley is known for directing horror, but his best-known work include the quiet sort of horror from psychological thrillers like “Kill List” and thrilling mysteries like “Rebecca” – as opposed to screamfests such as “Meg 2: The Trench.”
Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/HwokLHOYd5c
What made Wheatley want to direct the sequel to the surprise 2018 hit “The Meg”?
“There’s something very blue-collar about all of it, the nuts and bolts, and they’re not superheroes,” Wheatley told Total Film magazine in 2021 of the characters of the “Meg” movies. “Even though they do quite outlandish stuff, there’s a vulnerability to them, which is exciting. There’s something about the superhero genre where, much as I enjoy it, as it gets bigger and bigger and bigger, there’s problems with the way they’re just invulnerable. That lessens the tension. I like human risk. That side of it is interesting to me.”
More than the characters, Wheatley is also all praises for the casting because the international makeup of the cast reflects back the nature of global scientific ventures. “Our cast is based around the realism found in the world of science,” says Wheatley in another interview. “Usually, an oceanic research group would be pulling the best people from all over the globe, with a mix of people from everywhere.”
Wheatley is also known for the dark comedy and action in some of his films, and with “Meg 2” starring Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing, expect plenty of heart-pounding action! Jason Statham is always keen to do as many of his own stunts as possible, and about Wu Jing, Wheatley shares that at one point while filming an explosive sequence, Jing volunteered to have a camera strapped to him to get an up-close shot of the actual explosions. Wheatley explains, “We did that a few times with Wu Jing and it always turned out well. It really puts the viewer into the action when you do that. He was always ready to do anything, and never a complaint. I think he could break his leg and he’d still be going, ‘Yeah, I’m fine.’”
Watch “Meg 2: The Trench,” opening in Philippine cinemas August 2.
About “Meg 2: The Trench”
Dive into uncharted waters with Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing as they lead a daring research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Pitted against colossal Megs and relentless environmental plunderers, our heroes must outrun, outsmart, and outswim their merciless predators in a pulse-pounding race against time.
Jason Statham and Wu Jing lead an ensemble cast that also includes Sophia Cai (“The Meg”), Page Kennedy (“The Meg”), Sergio Peris-Mencheta (“Rambo: Last Blood”), Skyler Samuels (“The Gifted”), and Cliff Curtis (“Avatar” franchise).
“Meg 2: The Trench” is directed by Ben Wheatley (“In the Earth,” “Free Fire”), from a screenplay by Jon Hoeber & Erich Hoeber (“The Meg,” “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts”) and Dean Georgaris (“The Meg,” “Lara Croft: Toom Raider – The Cradle of Life”), and a screen story by Dean Georgaris and Jon Hoeber & Erich Hoeber, based on the novel The Trench by Steve Alten. The film is produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura (“The Meg,” “Bumblebee”) and Belle Avery (“The Meg,” “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead”), and executive produced by Jason Statham, Cate Adams, Ruigang Li, Catherine Xujun Ying, Wu Jing, E. Bennett Walsh, Erik Howsam, Gerald R. Molen and Randy Greenberg.
In Philippine cinemas starting August 2, “Meg 2: The Trench” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Discovery company.
Join the conversation online and use the hashtag #Meg2
Photo & Video Credit: “Warner Bros. Pictures”
