Jason Statham Vs Giant Prehistoric Shark In Meg
It had to happen sometime.
It's the news that everyone has been waiting for - they just didn't know it!
Jason Statham, the bald-headed hero of countless Hollywood action movies, has reportedly signed on to play the lead in Meg, the upcoming film about a deep sea diver-turned-scientist who battles a giant shark-like creature, based on Steve Alten's 1997 novel of the same name.
Meg has been in development hell for ages - close to 20 years, even - though has only really gained traction recently as a film to be directed by Jon Turteltaub (The Sorcerer's Apprentice, National Treasure). Eli Roth was also briefly tied to the production, but somewhere along the way he jumped ship. His loss.
My guess is that Statham will play a version of Jonas Taylor, a deep sea diver who ventures on a dangerous expedition and encounters the giant creature of the title, only to be branded as a crackpot when he returns as the lone survivor. Later, as a palaeontologist, he's drawn back into an adventure that reunites him with the beast that took the lives of his associates. And they fight, of course.
Instead of being set in California, like in the novel, Meg will be set off the coast of China - presumably a switch made in an attempt to appeal to Asian markets.
It seems obvious, given that the original novel has countless sequels, that this is being poised as a new franchise of sorts. With Statham leading the charge, there's a feeling that Meg will also have a "knowing" edge to it - if it's good, we could end up loving these movies in the same way we do the Fast and Furious flicks.
Hell, let's just get the crossover film going right now.