Steve Alten’s Meg: A Novel Of Deep Terror has faced nearly two decades of development hell while trying to make its way to the screen, yet a new report suggests that the story of a surviving megalodon shark may finally be headed to theaters.
First published in 1997, Meg centers around biologist Jonas Taylor, who encounters a surviving species of megalodon shark while on a top secret dive in the Marianas Trench. Described as “ Jurassic Park with a shark,” it was followed by several sequels penned by Alten, and met with numerous attempts to adapt it for the big screen. Though those efforts have been famously mired in difficulties, a new report by the Tracking Board asserts that Alten’s megalodon thriller is finally on the fast track.
#TBExclusive Long-awaited giant shark thriller “Meg” swims to Warner Bros! Get the details – http://t.co/Oz0S79T97F pic.twitter.com/kNHypliS1J
— The Tracking Board (@MyTrackingBoard) June 4, 2015
According to the report, Warner Bros. have placed Meg in a state of “priority development.” Though the megalodon film has been on the fast track before, and was even pitched by then-owners New Line Cinema to distributors at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, the current adaptation centers around a new script. This iteration of Meg was penned by Dean Georgaris, known for his previous work on The Manchurian Candidate and Tomb Raider: Cradle Of Life . Georgaris takes over from a litany of previous writers, including Alten himself, who have attempted to adapt the megalodon story for the screen.
This novel, which has the best cover ever, is becoming a movie. All seems right w/the world. http://t.co/hs2ugcTHgH pic.twitter.com/Kjtzb4zboC
— John Squires (@FreddyInSpace) June 4, 2015
Andrew Fischel and Cate Adams are scheduled to oversee development of the project, according to Dread Central , while Colin Wilson will produce alongside Belle Avery. Warner Bros. is currently looking for a director for the shark film , who will reportedly work from Georgaris’ text.
Though Meg has spent nearly two decades in development hell, the shark film that sparked the public’s fascination with the animals will be returning to the big screen itself. As the Inquisitr previously reported, Jaws will re-released in limited theaters in honor of its 40th anniversary later this month.
#Meg Finally Heading To Production http://t.co/qlG9VO2Ohq #Shark #megalodon #horror pic.twitter.com/TzTqHxFMLS
— zombieapocalypse.net (@ZADF_ORG) June 7, 2015
Previously associated with industry figures like Guillermo Del Toro and Jan De Bont, Meg was so far along in development under New Line that a production team had been hired, and a five-foot-long model of the titular megalodon shark had been constructed. Budget cuts eventually sank the project, but with the rights now at Warner Bros. (after having reverted to Alten), it appears the film will finally bring the megalodon shark out of extinction and onto the big screen.
[Image via Coming Soon ]
