Ben Wheatley is really hoping he'll get to make a Meg 3

Two megalodons from The Meg 2: The Trench
(Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Meg 2: The Trench hasn't been released yet, but that hasn't stopped director Ben Wheatley from imagining what a third installment in the shark-centered series would look like. That said, though, he's keen not to jinx the second chapter before it's had a chance to make a splash in cinemas...

"You don't want to talk about it until Meg 2 is out," Wheatley jokes in the new issue of Total Film magazine, which is out on newsstands on Thursday, July 20, when asked about the possibility of The Meg 3. "But 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."

Taking inspiration from Steve Alten's 1999 novel, Meg 2: The Trench sees Jason Statham's Jonas Taylor put together a team for an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean, and investigate some strange goings-on down there. During the mission, they discover that a bunch of prehistoric megalodons, even bigger than the ones seen in the previous movie, is lurking well beneath the surface... and judging by the official trailer, some other huge creatures, too.

It will be released on August 4. Cliff Curtis, Wu Jing, Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Sienna Guillory, and Skyler Samuels round out the supporting cast.

This is just a snippet of our interview in the new issue of Total Film magazine, which features Gareth Edwards' new movie The Creator on the cover. The magazine hits shelves this Thursday, July 20. Check out the covers below:

Total Film's The Creator covers

(Image credit: Disney/20th Century Studios/Total Film)

If you're a fan of Total Film, why not subscribe so that you never miss an issue? You'll get the magazine before it’s in shops, with exclusive subscriber-only covers (like the one pictured above). With our latest offer, you can get an Alexa speaker worth £49.99 when you take out a print/bundle subscription. Head to MagazinesDirect to find out more (Ts and Cs apply).

Total Film's subscriber offer

(Image credit: Total Film/Disney/20th Century Studios)
Contributing Editor, Total Film

Jane Crowther is a contributing editor to Total Film magazine, having formerly been the longtime Editor, as well as serving as the Editor-in-Chief of the Film Group here at Future Plc, which covers Total Film, SFX, and numerous TV and women's interest brands. Jane is also the vice-chair of The Critics' Circle and a BAFTA member. You'll find Jane on GamesRadar+ exploring the biggest movies in the world and living up to her reputation as one of the most authoritative voices on film in the industry. 

With contributions from