Steve Alten’s MEG, about a 80-foot, 70,000-pound prehistoric shark, has been desperately trying to make it to the big screen ever since it was published back in 1997. But studio after studio have picked it up–and dropped it–over the years, and the fear has been it would never be made… until now.
Thus is the subject of an LA Times article, detailing the roller coaster that has been bringing MEG to the big screen. Last time we heard, New Line had plans of producing the adaptation… but they’ve since pulled out and dropped the project completely. So what’s the big deal?
I’m guessing the scope and budget for this flick is just way too big and scary for most studios to want to take on. JAWS did fantastic at the box office, but it’s sequels and the relatively recent DEEP BLUE SEA did not do nearly as well. And with a budget well in the hundreds of millions, I’m guessing the studios won’t do it unless it’s a sure thing.
But there is hope! In recent weeks, however, a new financier has stepped forward with plans to finally bring “Meg” to the big screen. Apelles Publishing Inc. of Abington, Va., has optioned the rights from Alten with veteran Hollywood producers Lawrence Gordon (“Die Hard”) and Lloyd Levin (“Boogie Nights”), along with Virginia-based film financing consultant Belle Avery, set to produce.
Hopefully this producing team will make it happen! The book is one awesome read that would really make a fun movie–if done right. But if it features shoddy CGI effects and a weak adaptation of the story and the characters… well, it might not be as fun. To check out the full story that is the struggle to get MEG to the big screen, click HERE, and stick around for more news and updates on the prehistoric shark as we hear it!
My favorite Meg… Meg Ryan!
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