Chinese actress Fan Bingbing is set to co-star with Jason Statham in the Warner Bros. thriller "Meg." Bingbing was last seen in the hit movie "X-Men: Days of Future Past."
"Meg" will be co-produced by China's Gravity Pictures.
Bingbing is not only a household name in China but is also a recognized star in Hollywood. She was the only Asian actress to be included in Forbes' List of Hollywood's Biggest Earning Actresses last year, earning an estimated US $21 million - beating celebs like Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, and Angelina Jolie.
John Turtletaub, who gained international recognition for the critically acclaimed movie "National Treasure," is set to direct the movie. The script is written by Dean Gorgaris.
The movie is based on the science fiction novel "MEG: A Novel of Deep Terror" by Steve Alten. The story is about Naval Captain Jonas Taylor (Statham) who in a routine mission encountered a prehistoric shark, the CarcharodonMegaldon. Forced to abort the mission and abandon half his crew because of the encounter, he was subsequently disgraced and dishonorably discharged from the Navy.
Little does he know that this is just the beginning because, after a few years, he is enlisted by Dr. Zhang Suvin, the lead oceanographer of a Chinese Underwater Observation team, to assist a team of underwater experts trapped in a disabled submersible at the bottom of the sea somewhere in the Mariana Trench. Discovering that the danger is the same one he faced years before, Taylor must face his fears and risk his life by confronting the 70-foot Leviathan not only to save everyone trapped below but get redemption before time runs out.
Gravity Pictures will distribute the film in China, and Warner Bros. will distribute it to the rest of the world. The film is set to be released on May 8, 2018.
