New Line is building an impressive cast for their upcoming thrillerMeg. Action iconJason Stathamis set to star alongsideJessica McNamee,Bingbing Fanand the most recent casting addition,Ruby Rose, who came aboard earlier this month. Today we have word thatThe OfficealumRainn Wilsonis coming aboard in a very important role.
The story will center onJason Statham’s character, a former Naval captain and expert diver. He is recruited to undertake a deep-sea mission rescue off the coast of China, where he must save a couple of scientists who find themselves under attack from a threat more terrifying than any monster.Deadlinereports thatRainn Wilsonis playing Jack Morris, the tech billionaire who funds an underwater observation program that unknowingly unleashes thegiant sharkknown as the Carcharodon megalodon, which is said to be a 70-foot, 40-ton prehistoric cousin of the great white shark.
Eli Rothwas originally attached to direct before he dropped out earlier this year, withJon Turteltaubimmediately stepping in to replace him back in March. The filmmaker will be directing from a script byDean Georgias(36,The Machurian Candidate), which was rewritten byJames Vanderbilt(White House Down,The Amazing Spider-Man). The project is based onSteve Alten’s novel, which Disney first tried to develop before New Line picked it up, with directorJan De Bont, but the project never came to fruition.
The project resurfaced last year, thanks toDean Georgias' draft of the script, after over a decade in development. Warner Bros. has set a June 07, 2025 release date forMeg, putting it up against an untitled Fox/Marvel movie.Megwill also debut one week after Legendary’sPacific Rim 2on August 05, 2025 and one week before Disney’sWreck-It Ralph 2. It still isn’t clear when production may begin, or how many other roles have yet to be cast.
AuthorSteve Altenhas also written two novel sequels, so if this project becomes a hit, those books may be heading to the silver screen as well.Lorenzo Di Bonaventura,Belle AveryandColin Wilsonare producing, withWei Wayne Jiang,Barrie M. Osborne,Randy GreenbergandGerald R. Molenexecutive producing.Rainn Wilson, who starred as Dwight Schrute on NBC’sThe Officefor nine seasons, will voice the villainous Gargamel in Sony’s animated adventureSmurfs: The Lost Village.
