Meg 2: The Trench Features A Wild Book Scene That Was Left Out Of The First Movie
There are many summer blockbusters competing for audiences' attention, from the newest superhero films to massive franchises like "Fast X" presenting their latest sequels. Then there's "The Meg," arguably the purest encapsulation of what summer blockbusters originally were in that it is also a movie about a giant shark attacking a beach, like the original blockbuster, "Jaws." This one, of course, is the bonkers film in which Jason Statham punches a prehistoric shark right in the face, based on the series of novels by Steven Allen that contains eight (yes, eight!) books, each with new and bigger prehistoric creatures.
"The Meg" knows exactly what it is and what it isn't, which is why our review was rather positive, and why it asked for there to be more than just one movie about a giant shark in theaters. Thankfully, the gods of cinema answered us, because Meg, the megalodon, is back in "Meg 2: The Trench." Directed by indie auteur Ben Wheatley, this summer's sequel promises even more crazy moments, like even more megs, a massive squid, and Statham kicking a shark in the face this time. But perhaps the most exciting part of the trailer is that it begins with one of the best scenes of the original novel, which wasn't part of the first film. Let's take a closer look. It's time to get Jurassic.
It's snack time
In the trailer, we see a T-rex chasing a herd of dinosaurs for food, and stumbling into the ocean. Calmly enjoying its meal, the dino doesn't notice the gargantuan megalodon that jumps out of the ocean and devours it, completely annihilating the T-rex's comparatively puny body.
This is also the opening scene of the first book in the series, "Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror," which is super graphic in detail. When an unfortunate T. rex finds itself face to face with a megalodon on the beach, things don't go well for one of the world's most fearsome apex predators. Here's a particularly gnarly excerpt:
"T. rex slammed backward through the ocean, its breath blasting out of its crushed lungs, an eruption of blood spewing from its open mouth seconds before its head disappeared beneath the waves.
With a whoosh the dinosaur fought its way back to the surface, its rib cage crushed within the powerful jaws of its still-unseen killer, the T. rex choking on its gushing innards.
[...]
[T]he sixty-foot shark burst from the water, its enormous head and upper torso quivering as it fought to remain suspended above the waves, the broken remains of its prey grasped within its terrible jaws. In an incredible display of raw power, the Meg shook the reptile from side to side, allowing its upper front row of seven-inch serrated teeth to rip through gristle and bone, the action sending swells of pink frothing water in every direction."
Steven Spielberg helped craft the cinematic image of the T. rex as the dino at the top of the food chain — the scariest, most dangerous creature from the ancient world. But author Steven Allen and now director Ben Wheatley are challenging that notion by featuring the T. rex getting absolutely wrecked by a fellow carnivore. The king of the dinosaurs was almost comically out of its depth in this battle. Watch your back, Rexy.
Could this franchise fill the dino-sized void in blockbuster cinema?
In the book, the scene is revealed to be a slideshow presentation, but it appears the moment actually plays out for real as a flashback in "Meg 2: The Trench." Of course, the first thing the scene brings to mind is the deleted prologue from Colin Trevorrow's "Jurassic World Dominion" which was eventually released as a standalone clip online, despite the fact that it was the single best (and maybe even the only good) scene in that entire underwhelming movie.
But the trailer to "Meg 2: The Trench" raises an interesting idea. Now that the Jurassic movies are seemingly over, why not have Meg fill in the dinosaur-sized void left in cinema? Adam Driver's "65" was great, but there is no following up on that movie for obvious reasons: It performed terribly at the box office. Sadly, the early word from critics about "Meg 2" is not looking great (you can read our own disappointed review here), but if this sequel manages to satisfy customers and become another giant shark-sized hit, it's possible that Warner Bros. could decide to make a full-on prequel set in prehistoric times, showing audiences how Meg survived the extinction of the dinosaurs. What else would you want from a summer blockbuster?
"Meg 2: The Trench" swims into theaters on August 4, 2023.