Filmmaker Ben Wheatley is set to direct The Meg sequel. Based on the 1997 novel Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror by Steve Alten, The Meg was the surprise summer blockbuster of 2018. Directed by Jon Turteltaub, the killer shark flick saw Jason Statham as a deep-sea rescue diver who, along with a group of scientists, takes on a 75-ft.-long prehistoric shark, previously thought to be extinct. Also starring Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson, and Ruby Rose, the film was a financial success, garnering $100 million worldwide in its first weekend. It went on to gross $530.3 million. Though not a hit with critics, the film was popular among horror and action fans, and shortly after the film's release it was announced that a sequel was in the works.

In 2018, producer Catherine Xujun Ying confirmed that a Meg sequel was in the early stages and producer Belle Avery had already purchased the rights to the novels. The first film was based on the first of a series of eight books about mega sharks, so there is plenty of content for a sequel. The last news heard about the sequel was that a script was reportedly in the works, but now a director is set for the film.

According to THR, The Meg 2 will be directed by Ben Wheatley, who most recently directed Netflix's Rebecca remake. Jason Statham and much of the main cast are expected to return in the sequel. Jon and Erich Hoeber, who co-wrote the first film with Dean Georgaris, wrote the most recent draft of the script, working off the original draft by Georgaris. Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Belle Avery are returning as producers, with Catherine Ying, Li Ruigang, E Bennett Walsh, Gerald Molen, and Randy Greenberg executive producing.


Wheatley is not new to the horror genre, as much of his work has been in horror and thriller. His latest film, Rebecca, starring Lily James, Armie Hammer, and Kristin Scott Thomas, is a gothic romance based on the 1938 novel, which was also adapted by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940. The British director is also known for his 2015 dystopian thriller High Rise and the 2016 action-comedy Free Fire, starring Hammer, Brie Larson, and Cillian Murphy.

With his work in horror, action, and comedy, Wheatley seems to be a good fit for The Meg 2, considering the first film somehow incorporated all three genres. The first film found success because of its fun tone and special effects. While it was lacking in a lot of gore and horror in order to maintain its PG-13 rating, it will be exciting to see what Wheatley does with the sequel.