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The Meg 2’s PG-13 Rating & Mild Violence Defended By Director-TGN
Summary
Meg 2: The Trench director Ben Wheatley defends the film’s PG-13 rating, comparing it to the Indiana Jones franchise.
Wheatley believes that excessive violence and blood are not necessary to make the action scenes in the sequel impactful.
The upcoming Meg sequel features Jason Statham’s Jonas returning to face off against multiple giant megalodon sharks.
Meg 2: The Trench director Ben Wheatley defends the film’s PG-13 rating and more mild depictions of violence. After the surprise success of 2018’s The Meg, Jason Statham’s Jonas Taylor is returning for more prehistoric shark attack action in Wheatley’s sequel. The upcoming movie sees a group of scientists facing off against multiple megalodons after a mining operation goes wrong.
Ahead of the Meg 2: The Trench release date, Wheatley explains the film’s PG-13 violence in an interview with SlashFilm. The director likens his sequel to the Indiana Jones franchise in the sense that the movie’s don’t feel as if they need any more graphic violence. Check out Wheatley’s full explanation below:
“I think that in terms of action, it’s like the ‘Indiana Jones’ movies are the high watermark of that. It’s like you feel like you’ve seen a lot of action and it doesn’t feel as a viewer like it’s been toned down (…) And I don’t think that’s to do with certification. You don’t have to have loads of blood gouging out of people to make things more impactful, in a way.”
Would The Meg 2 Be Better With An R Rating?
Wheatley’s point about the Indiana Jones franchise is certainly sound, with the movies all finding a sweet spot between PG and R. While Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom are technically rated PG, the negative reaction to the second film’s graphic violence was a significant factor in the invention of the PG-13 rating, which is arguably the more suitable rating that both entries would have earned had they been released after its creation.
In addition to the PG-13 rating affording filmmakers the leeway to include impactful and yet restrained levels of violence, it also improves a film’s chances at the office. Part of the reason why the first Meg movie was so successful was because its more family-friendly rating allowed younger audiences to check it out in theaters. Slapping an R rating on the sequel would limit its potential audience, which may result in a lower box office haul. Considering Meg 2: The Trench‘s estimated $185 million budget, an R rating isn’t really an option.
That being said, it would undoubtedly be entertaining to see a bloody and gory version of the film akin to something like Deep Blue Sea or Piranha 3D. The Meg 2: The Trench trailer, after all, teases multiple giant prehistoric sharks literally hunting humans. While an R-rated cut of Meg 2: The Trench isn’t happening, it’s always possible, however unlikely, that a more violent sequel will eventually happen should the franchise continue to be successful.
Source: SlashFilm