Meg 2 blows Oppenheimer out of the water in impressive box office debut

Turns out, Meg 2: The Trench is just as concerned with big box office takings as it is big sharks. Despite negative reviews and a limited press tour due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, the sci-fi action sequel officially beat out Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer for the number two spot during its opening weekend, taking $30 million in the US, as opposed to the acclaimed historical epic's $28.7 million. 

Internationally, Meg 2 fared even better, pulling in $142 million. Its predecessor, The Meg, made over $530.2 million worldwide but given Barbie and Oppenheimer's current domination of global cinemas, the follow-up's estimations were expectedly lower. In a surprising turn of events, though, Meg 2 opened above the first film's initial $101.5 million. Its success overseas is likely due in part to its diverse cast, with Jason Statham sharing the screen with one of China's most profitable stars Wu Jing. 

Taking inspiration from Steve Alten's 1999 novel, Meg 2, which was directed by Ben Wheatley, sees Statham's eco-warrior Jonas Taylor pull together a team of scientists to investigate some strange goings-on in the Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench. During the mission, they stumble across a mysterious underwater station, which leads to the team uncovering an illegal mining operation. 

In their attempt to stop it, they rumble a trio of prehistoric Megalodons, bigger than the ones seen in the previous movie, though – and they're not the only huge creatures joining in on the fun this time around, either.

When asked about the possibility of a Meg 3 back in July, Wheatley told Total Film: "I hope so. There's a lot more to explore in that world. It's very rich. The international-ness of it is very interesting."

"What's so smart about the first film is that it's not Rush Hour. It's not East-meets-West, 'Oh, we're all confused about each other,'" Wheatley, who took over directing duties from the original's helmer Jon Turteltaub, continued. "It's just people working together, and being in an everyday adventure, and the people just happen to come from places all over the world. I think that's good for audiences, and it's a good message as well."

Meg 2: The Trench is in cinemas now. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies heading our way throughout 2023 and beyond.