Jason Statham looked dapper as he appeared at the opening ceremony of the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival on Friday.
The Hollywood actor, 55, opted for a sleek black suit with a white shirt and satin bow tie as he walked the red carpet at the event.
He accompanied his co-star and Chinese protagonist Wu Jing as they prepared for the premiere of their upcoming movie Meg 2: The Trench.
Jason and Wu stepped out together at China’s Shanghai Grand Theater and smiled for photos ahead of the science fiction’s August 2 release.
Meg 2: The Trench is based on the 1999 novel The Trench and serves as a sequel to 2018’s The Meg.
Slick: Jason Statham, 55, looked dapper as he appeared at the opening ceremony of the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival on Friday
Clever: The Hollywood actor opted for a sleek black suit with a white shirt and satin bow tie as he walked the red carpet at the event
Jason plays protagonist Jonas Taylor who will lead a research team on an exploratory dive into the sea as they outsmart the prehistoric sharks.
The Shanghai International Film Festival kicked off Friday after the previous three years of scheduled events were canceled due to the pandemic.
Warner Bros. Pictures has released a new trailer for Meg 2: The Trench, which sees Jonas van Statham team up with international action star Jing Wu (Wolf Warrior).
They lead a research team on a dive to the deepest part of the ocean, though their journey is hampered by a mysterious mining operation.
This global team must find a way to survive against multiple megalodon sharks (aka Megs).
The thriller – which also brings back original stars from The Meg such as Sophia Cai and Page Kennedy, along with Sergio Peris-Mencheta (Rambo: Last Blood), Skyler Samuels (The Gifted) and Cliff Curtis (Avatar franchise) -]- runs in theaters from August 4.
The trailer begins with a brief demonstration of the food chain, where a small insect is eaten by a small lizard… which in turn is eaten by a much larger creature.
“For 65 million years, one species ruled the world,” one image reads, as we see a dinosaur emerge from the forest and eat the larger creature… before a huge mega shark leaps out of the water and eats the dinosaur, dragging it back in the water.
All smiles: He was joined by his co-star and Chinese protagonist Wu Jing as they prepare for the premiere of their upcoming movie Meg 2: The Trench
Co-stars: Jason and Wu stepped out together at China’s Shanghai Grand Theater and smiled for photos ahead of the science fiction’s Aug. 2 release
Pose: Win also looked good in a black suit and matching tie
It’s back: The Shanghai International Film Festival kicked off Friday after the previous three years of scheduled events were canceled due to the pandemic
Jonas Taylor (Statham) is seen working out when a man approaches and says they need his help.
“We detect increased water activity at 8,000 meters in the trench,” the voice adds, likely referring to the Mariana Trench, the deepest oceanic trench on Earth.
“It’s an ancient ecosystem untouched by man,” says the man, revealed as Cliff Curtis’ James “Mac” Mac” Mackreides, adding, “Whatever is down there is trying to make its way to the surface.”
The team prepares for their journey, wearing ostensibly powerful suits that grant the user superhuman strength as Jing’s character smashes huge cinder blocks.
DJ (Page Kennedy) admits, “this was a bad idea,” as Jonas jokes, “just a little bit,” as they get out and explore the ocean floor… unaware that a huge meg is chasing them.
One of the team members is suddenly snatched away when Jing’s character says, “Jonas, we have company.”
“That’s the biggest meg I’ve ever seen,” says one of the women, as Taylor adds, “the biggest meg anyone’s ever seen,” as the woman calls, “the apex predator.”
Jonas yells for everyone to go back to the station when we see the meg approaching them at the station doors.
“Three huge megs and who knows what else escaped the breach,” says one woman, as we watch the three huge shark fins approach a seaside town.
Statham returns: After capturing a massive megalodon shark in 2018’s The Meg, Jason Statham’s Jonas Taylor returns in the sequel Meg 2: The Trench
Ecosystem: The team prepares for their journey, wearing ostensibly powerful suits that grant the user superhuman strength as Jing’s character smashes huge cinder blocks
The woman adds, “I just hope it goes better than last time,” as the meg wrecks a dock as Taylor runs off.
The team tries to clear the seaside town, as Taylor points out, “they hunt in packs” when we see a couple being eaten in a paddle boat.
The trailer – set to Heart’s Baracuda – ends with a huge tentacled creature grabbing hold of a helicopter as Jing’s character dives out before it crashes.
The final shot shows Taylor trying to dodge the meg on a jet ski as a meg pops out of the water as the trailer comes to an end.