Will there be a Meg 3? The Meg 2 director hopes so
Meg 2: The Trench director Ben Wheatley feels like there's more to explore in the Meg-averse
Summertime and giant sharks. They go together like lovers. Case in point; the Meg franchise is days away from returning to theaters with Meg 2: The Trench. And though the film isn't even out yet, some are already casting their eyes toward a summer in the future, and the possibility of a Meg 3.
One of those people is Meg 2 director Ben Wheatley.
Wheatley, who took over directorial duties from the first film's Jon Turteltaub, spoke with TotalFilm magazine about the franchise and admitted he wanted to make a third movie.
"You don't want to talk about it until Meg 2 is out," he says, "But I hope so. There's a lot more to explore in that world. It's very rich. The international-ness of it is very interesting."
To Wheatley's point, it does appear that the Meg-averse is expanding with the second movie. From the trailer alone, we can see that the Megaladon from the first film was not the last of its species or a one-off freak of nature. Instead, there are actually many Megs lurking in the depths of the ocean, part of an ancient and massive ecosystem "untouched by man." And they're not the only things down there.
Then there's the tech. Meg 2: The Trench is expanding its world via futuristic diving suits that the characters will wear into this Meg's home turf. From the little snippets we see in the trailer, these suits not only provide the wearer with oxygen, but boost their speed and strength. Both pretty useful if you're going fin-to-fin with the ancient world's undefeated apex predators.
With all these developments already in store, it's safe to say that Ben Wheatley is right: the world of The Meg is rich and has room to grow. But before that can happen, the sequel's going to have to turn an impressive profit at the box office this weekend. Otherwise, Meg 3 could be dead in the water.
Meg 2: The Trench swims into theaters August 4. Buy tickets on Fandango or Atom Tickets.
The Meg's creator, Steve Alten, will be a guest on Enter the Popverse, this Friday, August 4.
