The Meg 2's Ben Wheatley Wants To Direct A Doom or Counter-Strike Video Game Movie

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Director Ben Wheatley, who's set to helm The Meg 2, wants to take on a Doom or Counter-Strike video game movie. The upcoming sequel, which is said to be titled Meg 2: The Trench, comes after the original 2018 film became a box office success. The Meg starred Jason Statham, Ruby Rose, Li Bingbing, and several others, focusing on a team of scientists who discover a megalodon shark. Though the movie received mixed reviews, the sequel was put in early development only a few months after the first film's release. Wheatley came onboard as The Meg 2's director in October 2020. He's already started teasing the movie's story, hinting there may be more than one megalodon featured.

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The Meg was directed by Jon Turteltaub, so Wheatley will bring something new to the franchise through his work on the sequel. He has experience in a variety of genres that will serve The Meg 2 well, including thriller, horror, and comedy. He recently helmed Netflix's Rebecca, based on the novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier. Wheatley was also behind In the Earth, a very of the moment film set during a virus outbreak. That movie released April 16.

RELATED: Everything We Know So Far About The Meg 2

Though his work on The Meg 2 is only beginning, Wheatley is already thinking about future projects. Speaking with The Playlist Podcast, he expressed interest in making a video game movie at some point despite departing Tomb Raider 2, which he was originally set to direct. Wheatley named Doom and Counter-Strike as two franchises he's especially interested in:

I still want to make a Doom film though. I know it’s been done, but come on! Or Counter-Strike, that would be the one I’d like to make.

There have technically been two Doom films. The first released in 2005 and starred Dwayne Johnson. The second, Doom: Annihilation, came out in 2019 but only as a direct-to-video option. Meanwhile, Counter-Strike has yet to receive a movie adaptation. Considering Wheatley's career so far, he would be an exciting choice to direct either a Doom or Counter-Strike film. His experience with action in particular will only expand through his work on The Meg 2. That skill set would come in handy when adapting a video game.

Video game movies used to be a harder sell than they are now. There's been a resurgence in the last few years, with exciting films like Uncharted on the way. It stands to reason Wheatley may be able to find success with a Doom or Counter-Strike movie at some point in the future. In the meantime, audiences can look forward to his take on The Meg 2.