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.