The Meg, Jason Statham's shark thriller and the first instalment in a franchise that has grossed nearly $930 million worldwide across two films, is set to leave HBO Max in the US on 1 September 2026. Its departure comes as Statham continues his prolific action-star run, having recently released Mutiny in cinemas following January's Shelter, both part of a business model that industry figures say relies more on home viewing and overseas markets than domestic box office.

Released in 2018 against a reported budget of $178 million, The Meg took nearly $530 million worldwide but only $145 million in North America, with $153 million of its total coming from China alone. That performance prompted a swift green light for a sequel, The Meg 2: The Trench, which arrived in 2023 and earned close to $400 million globally, though Chinese demand for English-language films had cooled by then, softening its haul compared with the original.