Shooting begins on sci-fi film ‘Meg’

CEBU, Philippines - Principal photography is underway in New Zealand on the science fiction action thriller “Meg,” being directed by Jon Turteltaub (the “National Treasure” movies). The film stars Jason Statham (“Spy,” “The Mechanic,” “Furious 7,” “The Expendables” films). Award-winning Chinese actress Li Bingbing (“Transformers: Age of Extinction,” “Forbidden Kingdom,” “The Message”) has been set to star opposite Statham.

In the film, a deep-sea submersible—part of an international undersea observation program—has been attacked by a massive creature, previously thought to be extinct, and now lies disabled at the bottom of the deepest trench in the Pacific…with its crew trapped inside. With time running out, expert deep sea rescue diver Jonas Taylor (Statham) is recruited by a visionary Chinese oceanographer (Winston Chao), against the wishes of his daughter Suyin (Li Bingbing), to save the crew—and the ocean itself—from this unstoppable threat: a pre-historic 75-foot-long shark known as the Megalodon.

What no one could have imagined is that, years before, Taylor had encountered this same terrifying creature. Now, teamed with Suyin, he must confront his fears and risk his own life to save everyone trapped below…bringing him face to face once more with the greatest and largest predator of all time.

Rounding out the international main cast of “Meg” are New Zealander Cliff Curtis (TV’s “Fear the Walking Dead”), Rainn Wilson (TV’s “The Office” ), Ruby Rose (“xXx: Return of Xander Cage”), Winston Chao (“Skiptrace”), Page Kennedy (TV’s “Rush Hour”), Jessica McNamee (“The Vow”), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (“The BFG”), Robert Taylor (“Focus”), Sophia Shuya Cai (“Somewhere Only We Know”), and Masi Oka (TV’s “Heroes”).

In addition to New Zealand, filming on “Meg” is also being accomplished on location in China. It will open across the Philippines on March 2018. (FREEMAN)