World news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Jason Statham’s $530M Sci-Fi Franchise-Starter Is Officially Ready to Devour Streaming
Jason Statham's 2018 sci-fi monster blockbuster *The Meg* has officially launched on HBO Max in the United States, marking a new streaming home for the film. The movie proved to be a surprise commercial phenomenon, grossing over $530 million worldwide and spawning a sequel, making it a significant franchise starter despite receiving mixed critical reviews.
The film sees Statham play rescue diver Jonas Taylor, who must save a crew trapped at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean from a 75-foot prehistoric megalodon shark. Directed by Jon Turteltaub, *The Meg* earned approximately $155 million from both North America and China respectively, becoming the highest-grossing Chinese-American co-production at the time. Although critics scored the film at 46% on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences embraced the premise of "Statham punching a shark," leading to the 2023 sequel *Meg 2: The Trench*, which introduced even more giant prehistoric creatures into the franchise.
In short
- *The Meg* now streaming on HBO Max in the United States
- Statham-led shark film earned $530 million globally despite 46% critical score
- Massive audience success led to 2023 sequel with additional prehistoric monsters
Explained simply
The Meg is a 2018 science fiction action film that became a surprise global blockbuster, earning over $530 million worldwide. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, the film proved enormously popular with audiences and established itself as the start of a successful franchise.
The film stars Jason Statham as Jonas Taylor, a rescue diver who must save trapped colleagues from a 75-foot prehistoric megalodon shark lurking at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Directed by Jon Turteltaub, it was a notable Chinese-American co-production that found particular success in both North America and China, becoming the highest-grossing film of its kind at the time.
The commercial success led to the 2023 sequel Meg 2: The Trench, which introduced additional giant prehistoric creatures into the expanding franchise. The property has demonstrated significant audience appeal, particularly for large-scale monster action entertainment, despite the original film's lukewarm critical reception.
Americas Art Celebrity Culture Entertainment Film Horror TV World