Jason Statham, the Action Star, is Passionate about Stunt Work.
As per Ben Wheatley, the director of “Meg 2: The Trench,” Jason Statham is always eager to perform as many of his own stunts as he can. Whenever you see the actor maneuvering a jet ski through the water, rest assured, it’s indeed Statham himself. Wheatley shares, “We wanted to capture the authentic physicality of the action, so we had Jason on this enormous hand drill setup, and we’d spin him around while firing water at his face. He preferred minimal use of gimbal shots, and most of the action scenes feature him, except for the moments when he’s not jumping giant waves but riding a jet ski at breakneck speed. It was a nerve-wracking experience for all of us at the monitors, hoping for his safe return!”
In a pre-filming interview with Collider, Jason Statham expressed his excitement about working with director Ben Wheatley, who replaced Jon Turteltaub as the director for the sequel “Meg 2: The Trench.” Statham praised Wheatley, stating, “We have a great shorthand already. We share similar taste, and I admire his work as a brilliant director. I believe we have a real opportunity to create something remarkable together.”
Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/HwokLHOYd5cÂ
The action in the sequel “Meg 2: The Trench” promises to be even more terrifying than its predecessor. Filmmakers were dedicated to outdoing “The Meg” by introducing their Apex Meg, a battle-hardened veteran covered in scars. This relentless, colossal creature of destruction is larger and more formidable than anything previously seen in the original film. Director Wheatley describes the Apex Meg as “a guy who’s had loads of bar fights,” hinting at the ferocious and intense nature of the upcoming action sequences.
The process of devising the terrifying actions of the Megs began with a simple pencil and a creative vision, as revealed by Director Wheatley. He would sit down and draw, imagining what would be truly thrilling to witness in the film. Collaborating with storyboard artist Jake Lunt Davies, they would work together to plan out the sequences. The next step involved computer animators, who would create rough versions of the scenes, which were then integrated into the film. Each shark encounter went through a comprehensive journey, taking around six months from the initial sketch to the final feature.
The post-production phase was especially exciting for the director as the Megs came to life. The team was amazed by the results, exclaiming, “Oh. My. God!” The process generated an impressive collection of storyboards, totaling nearly 5,000 drawings, showcasing the meticulous effort put into bringing these terrifying creatures to the screen.
Watch “Meg 2: The Trench,” opening in Philippine cinemas on August 2.
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