Now this Under Paris is getting a sequel, Jason Stathambox office success Meg the franchise finally has some competition as the greatest shark horror series of the 21st century. Meg2018’s success was a surprise in a summer full of blockbusters. In the same year that Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther, Poison, Deadpool 2and Aquaman dominated the box office, a killer shark movie with an A-list star that spent nearly three decades in development hell and grossed more than $500 million. Likewise, Netflix’s shark horror Under Paris was an unexpected hit when the low-budget French disaster film was released.
Since Under Paris cost less than $20 million to produce and quickly became one of Netflix’s biggest hits of 2024, it was inevitable that a sequel would end up going into production. Under ParisThe surprise ending left the door open for an even bloodier sequel, as did MegJason Statham’s finale promised more adventures from Jason Statham’s Jonas Taylor in the near future. Jonas is definitely back in 2023 Meg 2: The Trench. As Megthis sequel was based on a novel by bestseller Steve Alten. There are five other books in Alten’s Meg series that could be turned into films.
Under Paris Getting a Sequel Means Meg Now Has a Rival Shark Franchise
The first two installments of The Meg were huge box office hits
However, the news that Under Paris 2 is happening means Meg franchise now finally has a worthy rival in the world of killer shark movies. Meg It received mixed reviews, but with a budget of less than $180 million and a global gross of more than $525 million, it was a huge success. Meg 2: The Trench cost less, with a budget of around US$130 million, according to Deadline. The sequel grossed an impressive $397 million upon its August 2023 release, but received notably worse reviews than its predecessor.
Meg the franchise boasts far more star power than its streaming series competition.
In contrast, Under Paris started in a stronger position with reviewers. The Netflix hit earned 63% on Rotten Tomatoes, surpassing Megis 47% and Meg 2: The Trenchare 27%. That being said, Meg the franchise boasts far more star power than its streaming series competition. There are no important names Under Pariscast list and Under ParisThe many brutal deaths mean the sequel will star all new characters anyway. In contrast, Meg co-starred Li Bingbing and Rain Wilson, while Meg 2: The Trench presented Wolf Warriorare Wu Jing and Skyler Samuels.
How Under Paris Is Different From Jason Statham’s The Meg
Under Paris has a darker, bloodier story than Meg
While Netflix’s French horror disaster may not feature many recognizable faces, Under Paris is much nastier and bloodier than Meg films. Director Xavier Gens made his name with the horror New French Extremity Borders) and his unflinching approach to on-screen gore is undeniably present in Under Pariswhich takes full advantage of Netflix’s creative freedom with its brutal death scenes. Different Meg franchise or classic by Steven Spielberg Jaws and its sequels, Under Paris isn’t suitable for younger viewers, and that means the franchise may never enjoy Megtentpole box office success.
Meg the films are almost comically self-aware.
The tone of Under Paris is also more serious than that of Meg and its sequel, although both franchises maintain the irony. Under Paris is apparently aware of how ridiculous its premise is, but the film features few moments of broad humor and mostly treats seriously the threat of “sharks lurking in the Seine and Parisian catacombs.” Meg the films, on the other hand, are almost comically self-aware. With Jason Statham’s action hero jet skiing into the mouth of a prehistoric shark, the movies sometimes feel more like the Fast and Furious series with more sharks than actual horror films.
Will Meg 3 happen? Sequence Status Explained
The production of Meg 3 has not yet been confirmed
Although the announcement of Under Paris 2 proves there’s an appetite for more killer shark horrors, The Mega 3 has not yet been announced. There are countless reasons for this. Meg 2: The TrenchThe abysmal critical reception may sustain its sequel, even though the film performed admirably at the box office. The Mega 3The delays can also be attributed to the availability of Jason Statham, who is key to the franchise’s appeal, and his high price tag.
Each Meg The films cost over $100 million to produce and any third film in the series is expected to surpass its predecessors. In contrast, Under Paris was made for less than $20 million, and its darker, nastier tone means the film’s sequel could be produced for a similarly small investment. This does not make it surprising that the comparatively cheap price Under Paris sequel is going into production before the next Meg film, which means the series could supplant Jason Stathamas the biggest new killer shark movie in the public imagination.
Source: Deadline