This morning, the good folks over at Bloody Disgusting confirmed that Ben Wheatley’s The Meg 2: The Trench, the sequel to 2018’s blockbuster shark attack extravaganza The Meg, has been rated PG-13 by the MPA for “Action/violence, some bloody images, language and brief suggestive material.”
Your first instinct (as was this writer’s) might be surprise, maybe even surprised enough to feel a twinge of disappointment. But we shouldn’t be surprised – the first The Meg was also rated PG-13, and while its kills were plentiful they weren’t particularly gory; with a shark (read: shark mouth) that big, folks are more likely to be swallowed whole than they are to be shredded to bits onscreen.
Also, this is still Ben Wheatley we’re talking about here. We’re guessing that The Meg 2: The Trench will still be very kill-happy, with the added bonus of being utterly fucking bananas. This will likely be one of those “hard PG-13” jobs, and lord knows some films have been pushing that classification to its very limits lately.
For those just catching up, here’s an official description of The Meg 2:
“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. Immerse yourself in the most electrifying cinematic experience of the year with Meg 2: The Trench – where the depths of the ocean are matched only by the heights of sheer, unstoppable excitement!”
PG-13, R – whatever. We’re gonna be there when The Meg 2: The Trench hits theaters on August 4th. See ya there?
