As part of CinemaCon 2023, Warner Bros. Pictures has unveiled the official logos for Meg 2: The Trench and The Color Purple. While the convention isn't open to the public, Collider's own Steve Weintraub is on the ground bringing some images from the event.
What Is Meg 2: The Trench?
A sequel to Jon Turteltaub's (National Treasure) 2018 creature feature, The Meg, Meg 2: The Trench will bring Jason Statham back to fight another giant shark. The first movie was badly received by critics, which didn’t stop it from scoring big at the box office. After all, it’s not every day you get to see an action icon punching a giant shark in the face. So, of course, we could all expect a sequel. So far, there are no details available about Meg 2: The Trench. However, the title indicates the movie will take us back to the Mariana Trench from where the prehistoric megalodon shark of the first movie originated.
Besides Statham, the sequel also brings back Page Kennedy (Rush Hour) as DJ, Suyin's daughter Meiying played by Shuya Sophia Cai (Mr. Corman), and Cliff Curtis (Sunshine) as Mac. Li Bingbing (Transformers: Age of Extinction), who played the fan-favorite Suyin in the first movie, won’t be turning for undisclosed reasons. New cast members include Sergio Peris-Mencheta (Rambo: Last Blood), Sienna Guillory (Resident Evil), Skyler Samuels (American Horror Story), and Chinese martial artist and action star Wu Jing (Wolf Warrior). Behind the cameras, British director Ben Wheatley (Sightseers) is set to replace Turteltaub. After having penned the first film, Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, and Dean Georgaris are back to writing duties.
Meg 2: The Trench will rise from the oceans and wash into theaters on August 4, 2023. So, now that we have the official logo, it shouldn’t take long before Warner Bros. Pictures releases a trailer.
What Is The Color Purple?
Based on Alice Walker's 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Color Purple follows the struggles of an African American woman living in the South of the United States in the early 1900s. The story was made famous by Steven Spielberg's 1985 film adaptation starring Whoopi Goldberg in the leading role. The new movie, directed by Blitz Bazawule, is based on a stage musical with music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray. So, while Spielberg has crafted a nearly perfect classic, the new movie adaptation will offer something unique to fans by leaning over the musical format.
The new movie stars Fantasia Barrino-Taylor as protagonist Celie Harris, a part she also played in the Broadway adaptation. The rest of the cast is comprised of big Hollywood stars and famous singers and musicians, including Empire's Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo (Euphoria), Halle Bailey (The Little Mermaid), Ciara, Corey Hawkins (In the Heights), Louis Gossett Jr. (Roots), H.E.R., David Alan Grier (In Living Color), Phylicia Mpasi, Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard), Tamela J. Mann, Dean Cole (Black-ish), Stephen Hill, Elizabeth Marvel (Burn After Reading), and Jon Batiste as Grady.
The Color Purple will premiere in theaters on December 20, 2023. Check out the new logo below.
