Now thatUnder Parisis getting a sequel,Jason Statham’s blockbusterThe Megfranchise finally has some competition as the twenty-first century’s biggest shark horror series.The Meg’s 2018 success came as something of a surprise in a summer packed with blockbuster hits. The same year thatAvengers: Infinity War,Black Panther,Venom,Deadpool 2, andAquamandominated the box office, a killer shark movie with one A-list star that spent almost three decades in development hell earned over $500 million. Similarly,Netflix’s shark horrorUnder Pariswas a surprise sleeper hit when the low-budget French disaster movie was released.
What Kind Of Shark Is Lilith In Under Paris?
Under Paris walks through a gripping face-off between a shark, Lillith, and humans, which makes it hard not to wonder what kind of shark Lillth is.
SinceUnder Pariscost less than $20 million to make and swiftly became one of Netflix’s biggest hits of 2024, it was inevitable that a follow-up would eventually enter production.Under Paris’s twist endingleft the door open for an even gorier sequel, much likeThe Meg’s ending promised more adventures from Jason Statham’s Jonas Taylor in the near future. Sure enough, Jonas returned in2023’sMeg 2: The Trench. LikeThe Meg, this sequel was based on a novel by bestseller Steve Alten. There are another five books in Alten’sThe Megseries that could be made into movies.
Under Paris Getting A Sequel Means The Meg Now Has A Rival Shark Franchise
The Meg’s First Two Installments Were Big Box Office Hits
However,the news thatUnder Paris 2is happening meansThe Megfranchise now finally has a worthy rivalin the world of killer shark movies.The Megreceived mixed reviews, but, with a budget of under $180 million and a global gross of over $525 million, it was a major success.Meg 2: The Trenchcost less, with a budget of around $130 million according toDeadline. The sequel made an impressive $397 million upon its August 2023 release, but it was met with markedly worse reviews than its predecessor.
The Megfranchise does boast a lot more star power than its streaming series competition.
In contrast,Under Parisstarted out in a stronger position with reviewers. The Netflix hit earned 63% on Rotten Tomatoes, outdoingThe Meg’s 47% andMeg 2: The Trench’s 27%. That said,The Megfranchise does boast a lot more star power than its streaming series competition. There are no major names inUnder Paris’s cast list, andUnder Paris’s many brutal killsmean that the sequel will star all new characters anyway. In contrast,The Megco-starred Li Bingbing and Rain Wilson, whileMeg 2: The TrenchfeaturedWolf Warrior’s Wu Jing and Skyler Samuels.
How Under Paris Is Different From Jason Statham’s The Meg
Under Paris Has A Darker Gorier Story Than The Meg
While Netflix’s French disaster horror might not feature many recognizable faces,Under Parisis a lot nastier and gorier thanThe Megmovies. Director Xavier Gens made a name for himself with the New French Extremity horrorFrontier(s)and his unflinching approach to onscreen gore is undeniably present inUnder Paris, which takes full advantage of Netflix’s creative freedom with its brutal death scenes. UnlikeThe Megfranchise or Steven Spielberg’s classicJawsand its sequels,Under Parisisn’t suitable for younger viewers, and this does mean the franchise may never enjoyThe Meg’s tentpole blockbuster success.
The Megmovies are almost comically self-aware.
The tone ofUnder Parisis also more self-serious than that ofThe Megand its sequel, although both franchises keep their tongue firmly in cheek.Under Parisis seemingly aware of how ludicrous its premise is, but the movie features few moments of broad humor and mostly treats the threat of “Sharks lurking in the Seine and the Parisian catacombs” seriously.The Megmovies, in contrast, are almost comically self-aware. With Jason Statham’s action hero jet skiing into the mouth of a prehistoric shark, the movies sometimes feel more like theFast and Furiousseries with added sharks than actual horror movies.
Will The Meg 3 Happen? Sequel Status Explained
The Meg 3’s Production Has Not Yet Been Confirmed
Although the announcement ofUnder Paris 2proves that there is an appetite for more killer shark horrors,The Meg 3has not yet been announced. There are numerous reasons for this.Meg 2: The Trench’s abysmal critical reception might hold up its sequel, even though the movie performed admirably at the box office.The Meg 3’s delayscould also be chalked up to the availability of Jason Statham, who is instrumental to the franchise’s appeal, and their hefty price tag.
Each ofThe Megmovies cost over $100 million to produce and any third movie in the series would be expected to outdo its predecessors. In contrast,Under Pariswas made for less than $20 million and its grittier, nastier tone means the movie’s sequel could be produced for a similarly small investment. This makes it unsurprising that the comparatively cheapUnder Parissequel is going into production before the nextThe Megmovie, meaning the series may supplantJason Statham’s franchise as the biggest new killer shark movies in the public imagination.
