Eli Roth to Direct Prehistoric Killer Shark Flick, Meg
It looks like after all these years, all it took was a $500 million plus opening weekend to get MEG the green light!! MEG is based on the 1997 bestselling novel, MEG: A NOVEL OF DEEP TERROR by Steve Alten. The film focuses on a female megalodon shark which emerges from the Mariana Trench more than 2.6 million years after it was thought to have become extinct. The megalodon is believed to have resembled a larger, stockier version of the modern great white shark (they were thought to have been around sixty feet long). Think of the megalodon as JAWS’ older, steroid-soaked cousin with a pituitary problem. I’m really surprised that MEG hasn’t already been made into a film. With the success of all the giant shark flicks and the interest that was sparked from the faux Shark Week documentary on the megalodon, I’m surprised we’re not on MEG 3!!
MEG was previously being developed at Disney, who pulled financing after the failure of 1999s DEEP BLUE SEA. Action director Jan de Bont and Guillermo del Toro were among those reported to have been interested in the project at various points over the past twenty years. But now del Toro and de Bont can step aside because horror director Eli Roth is now attached to finally bring MEG to the big screen.
With Warner Bros being inspired to resurrect MEG based on the huge, unexpected success of Universal Studio’s JURASSIC WORLD, the studio is moving forward on MEG with Roth in the director’s chair. Not many details are known about the production other than the film is based on a screenplay by Dean Georgaris (who wrote the 2004 remake of THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE and the second TOMB RAIDER film), and that the setting was changed from off the coast of California to Chinese waters, in order to capitalise on skyrocketing box-office figures in the world’s largest nation.
I’ll keep my eyes out for future developments.
Stay Bloody!!!
This is the wimpy shark from JAWS. What a pussy!!!
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I’ve been waiting for this ever since I read the book ages ago. I’ll admit, moving the location to off the coast of china leaves me a little trepidations, but I’ll take what I can get. Beggars, I believe they say, can’t be choosers.
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Actually, one of the things that irked me about the book was its setting. **book SPOILER – KINDA**
The Marianas Trench is off the coast of Asia, where the lead sees the first one; the lead has to go back there, when his Asian friend calls him back because its spotted again.
Why they had that female (shark#2) reemerge, and then go West, seemed stupid.
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Is it a worthwhile book series to read?
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It’s okay…it was a summer read (on the beach no less), but you got suspend belief more than usual, and for a book that touts itself as science-faction, that was hard. On a scale of 1 to 10 Sharknados – it’s definitely a strong 6 (Jaws being 10 + infinity). –but then again, I kind of dug Deep Blue Sea >_> It’s a guilty pleasure.
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I’m not afraid to admit it, but I loved Deep Blue Sea!! Lol
I think I’ll check them out!!
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PS I suspect strongly the book is going to be about “angel” the baby Meg. That book featuring her was over the top, and had a Jurassic dinosaur in it (liopluerodon or something).
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Nice!!!
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I’m looking forward to this! It’s Roth’s first big movie!! Let it be 3D and R-rated!!!
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Agreed, Xenolicker!! Can’t wait for this one!!
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