You are here: Arts > Movies & TV >

'Megalodon' rocks China's Olympic Water Cube

By Zhang Rui: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, August 3, 2018

Adjust font size:

Actor Jason Statham and Chinese actress Li Bingbing pose for a photo at the press conference of "The Meg" held in Beijing, Aug. 2, 2018. [Photo/China.org.cn]

Sci-fi horror film "The Meg" swam into China's National Aquatics Center for its premiere in Beijing on Thursday night thrilling the audience.

"The Meg," based on the sci-fi novel "Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror" written by Steve Alten in 1997, is a story about a group of people who encounter and fight a monstrous megalodon, a 75-foot-long prehistoric shark once thought to be extinct, but which rises from the depths off the Chinese coast to wreak havoc upon those in its way.

Director Jon Turteltaub, action star Jason Statham, Chinese actress Li Bingbing, Ruby Rose, Winston Chao and Cai Shuya were promoting the film in the Beijing National Aquatics Center - a unique and symbolic Olympic building - also known as the Water Cube.

The advanced screening attracted more than 1,500 people in the audience who enjoyed the exciting ride in the venue exclusively decorated for the premiere, with images of the deep-sea monster swimming on the screens and projected onto the ETFE-clad exterior wall. The film was described by the audience as a "deep ocean version of Jurassic World" and the "most exciting film of this summer."

The giant image of the prehistoric shark, megalodon, swims across the giant screens set up at the premiere of "The Meg" held at National Aquatics Center in Beijing, Aug. 2, 2018. [Photo/China.org.cn]

The director said he thoroughly researched the megalodon so that the creature can be vividly recreated on the big screen. So much so that actress Li Bingbing, who during the filming could only use her imagination to act, said: "Now that the film is finished, I finally realized the monster is so huge, far more beyond my imagination. It is like a big plane."

The underwater shooting in New Zealand was very difficult for Li and even for hardcore action actor Jason Statham. It was very different from what they could perform on land, because they had to hold their breath, fight the waves, test their endurance and strength, as well as struggling to communicate when underwater.

Yet, Statham said although it was dangerous at times to shoot the film, there was also a lot of fun, "I really enjoyed doing this film."

All the actors said they strived to the best of their potential to complete the project, in part pushed by the hard-working, "evilly strict" and demanding director.

The film will hit Chinese and North American screens on Aug. 10, 2018.