Studio:
Walt Disney Pictures.
Production Company:
Unknown.
Project Phase: Script Stage.
Who's In It:
Unknown.
Who's Making It:
Jeffrey Boam (Screenwriter); based on the novel Meg by
Steve Alten.
Premise: While on a deep-sea expedition for the navy off the Georgia/North Carolina coast, oceanographer Jonas Taylor comes face-to-face with a resurgent 60-foot carcharodon megalodon -- in layman's terms, a prehistoric great white shark that makes Jaws look like a salmon. Panic stricken, Taylor brings his submersible to the surface too quickly, resulting in the death of two Navy officers. The disaster ends his career and throws him into depression, while the Meg now knows how to get to the shallower depths -- and a new source of food awaits.
Release Date: Oirignally planned for summer 1999.
Comments:
Jurassic Park meets Jaws. The opening scene is said to take place 65 million years ago, where one of the megalodons (not the same one, right?) hunts and catches a T.Rex wading in the ocean surf. The purpose of that scene seems to be clear: this thing is meaner than the Rexs you saw in Spielberg's two dino films. Another scene features the shark in the present barreling out of the water and grabbing a helicopter hovering over the water, then bringing it down into the depths with it.
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
July 1, 1997... [Page draft created by 'Deadpool'; additional information provided by Michael Farmer.]
Boam's handed in his second draft. Disney would like to get to this project quickly and make it their summer 1999 tentpole release. [Scoop sent in anonymously.]
One rumor overheard has Jean Reno (The Professional, Mission: Impossible) up for the title role. [Sent in by Michael Farmer.]
"Special Effects houses are already being decided, with the opening (a T-Rex vs a 60 foot shark) being what Disney is most concerned about seeing finished at the moment." [Scoop provided by 'cnicker'.]
November 16, 1997... A scooper tells us that "it's official. Renny Harlin is the director..." This would be the first we heard of it, although scuttlebutt was Harlin was up to direct the similarly-themed Deep Blue Sea over at WB. [Scoop handed in anonymously.]
November 18, 1997... A follow-up to the 16th scoop: this person tells us Harlin signed on after he saw a CGI shot involving the shark and its human victim. Harlin was impressed, saw the blockbuster potential and joined the crew. Still, if Harlin has signed on the dotted line Disney's keeping it quiet for the moment... [Scoop furnished anonymously.]
May 18, 1998... Our scooper has heard Disney is waiting until June to decide whether or not to greenlight the picture. Perhaps the House of Mouse is awaiting to see if another shark picture (Renny Harlin's Deep Blue Sea for Warner Bros.) gets greenlit? [Scooped by Liam.]
June 28, 1998... We've heard that George Clooney is considering this film as his next project; word is Clooney had just read the script and loved it. His interest in the project has sparked Disney execs to begin warming up to the project once again. Jean Reno is still interested in starring in the picture too...so it's possible Clooney's desire to star in Meg will force Disney to create a new role for the star (or beefing up one of the previously-existing roles for the actor.) [It's dinner time for the meateater 'Mrbblee'.]
July 26, 1998... Last month we broke the story that George Clooney could be taking the plunge on Meg. Now comes a new contender: Tommy Lee Jones. Apparently, author Steve Alten is a fan and he'd like Tommy to be the main character, Jonas Taylor. Whether casting and director agree is another issue, so don't hold our scooper to it. [James Furlong was our shark hunter.]
July 28, 1998... Now we're told that Patrick Stewart is "on the project." [Aquatic scooper 'ImNotGerman' did the deep dive for you.]
September 20, 1998... An interesting point was brought on by this scooper: "Um... Jonas Taylor is 42 years old, so Patrick Stewart might not fit the bill, but it's possible he could be playing someone else." [Scoop provided by 'James Furlong']
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