20 Horror Movies WAY More Successful Than Anyone Expected
9. The Meg
Even though Jason Statham's action-packed blockbusters usually make a reasonable profit, they don't exactly scream megabucks unless Fast and the Furious is in the title.
As a result, nobody thought The Meg would be anything spectacular, since the premise can be summed up as "Man Versus Prehistoric Shark". The concept is so silly, you'd swear it came from the Asylum studio.
However, Warner Bros. seemed confident in the daft kaiju flick since they spent at least $130 million on it (although some reports suggest it could've been as much as $178 million). With the studio forking over an additional $140 million on marketing, The Meg would be lucky to break even, especially since it debuted during an overstuffed summer.
On the contrary, the over-the-top thriller made a big splash at the box office, especially in China, where it brought in $150 million. The Meg's final tally was upwards of $500 million, grossing more than any entry from Statham's other recognised brands, like The Transporter or The Expendables.
The reviews weren't anything to write home about, but that just goes to show that sheer spectacle can sometimes outweigh critical reception.