Depending on who you talk to, the summer box office this year has either been a wonderful season, or a horrific disaster. While crowds are flooding theaters for events like Barbenheimer double features, other huge tentpoles have seemed to stumble at the box office. Franchises like Meg 2: The Trench need a hero, and Jason Statham could be that man; provided the opening weekend of this new creature feature is kind.
Initial estimates for the sequel to Warner Bros.’ surprise 2018 hit have come in from Box Office Pro, and the picture is a bit grim. The site’s numbers for Meg 2’s opening weekend currently sit in a range between $22 – $27 million for its big debut. Should that hold, it looks like not even feeding a Tyrannosaurus Rex to a hungry Megalodon will be enough to put it in first place.
No, that seriously happens in director Ben Wheatley’s sequel, and we have the Meg 2 trailer to prove it:
While we don’t know what sort of legs the Barbie/Oppenheimer machine will have in week three, the source above has Jason Statham's movie being beaten out by films opening the same weekend as well. Coming in at an estimated $27 – $36 million opening, and with two more days of showtimes added into the mix, is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Paramount’s animated offering is already slated to have paid sneak preview events ahead of its August 2 opening, and that’s primed to make this reboot a firm competitor.
Yet, this is the sort of story that brings history back into focus, especially considering how five years ago The Meg’s opening weekend exceeded expectations. Back when the Jon Turteltaub-directed franchise starter was released in 2018, Meg’s estimated domestic first frame was in the $20-$22 million range. After all was said and done, the first installment hauled in $44.5 million for its weekend total, which led to the worldwide gross of $530.5 million being collected overall.
Looking at the differences between 2018 and 2023’s movie release schedules, there’s some stiffer competition for Meg 2: The Trench to overcome. Of course, there's one more advantage this sequel has in its deck of cards: Meg 2 is rated PG-13, despite the presumed wishes of fans that this next flick would go for the R. A pause for the moviegoers who were hoping that Jason Statham would get to sling some F-bombs, while these new Megs drew blood from their prey. However, with a PG-13 rating, it opens the movie up to a broader audience.
It's still anybody's game as we head into the first week of a new month of movies, as Meg 2: The Trench dives into the depths of blockbuster season on August 4. Meanwhile, The Meg is currently streaming for those of you who have an active Max subscription. This means you can warm up for this new buffet of brawling in the comfort of your own home, before heading to the big screen for the big show.
