Meg 2: The Trench hits the big screens very soon, and the excitement is building. It is the anticipated follow-up to the hit Jason Statham shark movie — five years on.
The Meg followed Statham starring as Naval Captain Jonas Taylor as he went on a mission to rescue a group of divers from a wrecked submarine. He soon realises, though, that something has awoken from the Mariana Trench, leading to almost two hours of action-packed twists and turns.
Meg 2: The Trench sees Taylor on a new adventure, where he leads a research team on a dive exploring the ocean. On their journey, they encounter the largest marine predator that has ever existed — the Megalodon.
“Get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush this summer in The Meg 2: The Trench, a literally larger-than-life thrill ride that supersizes the 2018 blockbuster and takes the action to higher heights and even greater depths with multiple massive Megs and so much more!” Warner Brothers has said.
“Dive into uncharted waters with Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing as they lead a daring research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean.
“Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival.
“Pitted against colossal Megs and relentless environmental plunderers, our heroes must outrun, outsmart, and outswim their merciless predators in a pulse-pounding race against time.”
However, Taylor’s love interest will not be returning (Li Bingbing as Suyin) for the sequel.
However, familiar faces such as Cliff Curtis, Shuya Sophia Cai, and Page Kennedy are all returning as James ‘Mac’ Mackreides, Meiying, and DJ.
But what is a megalodon and when did they become extinct?
What is a megalodon?
A megalodon is the largest shark that ever existed. The earliest megalodon fossils found (Otodus megalodon, previously known as Carcharodon or Carcharocles megalodon) date to 20 million years ago.
This huge shark dominated the oceans for another 13 million years before becoming extinct 3.6 million years ago.
The megalodon was also not only the biggest shark in the world, but one of the largest fish ever to exist.
How big was the megalodon?
It is estimated that the megalodon actually grew to between 15 and 18 metres in length — that’s three times longer than the largest recorded great white shark, and the length of two buses.
The figures are estimated based on tooth size (without a complete megalodon skeleton to measure). The word megalodon simply means ‘large tooth’, as a megalodon’s teeth are around 18 cm across.
Why did megalodons become extinct?
First, the climate dramatically changed which meant the global water temperature dropped. This reduced the area where the megalodon (which is a warm-water shark) could thrive.
Second, because of the changing climate, entire species that megalodon preyed upon and relied on to survive also vanished.
The great white shark also helped to push the megalodon to extinction as they were believed to eat the same prey.
