'The Meg' Could Be The Start Of A Shark-tastic New Franchise

Spoilers ahead. A shark-attack blockbuster with a budget big as its titular apex predator, The Meg offers exactly the kind of goofy summer fun people are clamoring for. Characters from all over the globe come together on a deep-sea research station, only to accidentally unleash a prehistoric monster into modern waters. When the megalodon shark starts heading for the most densely-populated beaches along the Pacific Ocean, it's up to them to stop the monster before it causes carnage on an unimaginable level. Not to spoil too much, but there's a pretty happy ending, some future hints at relationships, and a little bit of a fake-out jump scare before a punny coda. If you were thinking of sticking around for any additional info though, don't bother, becauseThe Meg has no post-credits scene.

That's a canny move on the filmmakers' part, and it matches the movie's seemingly ominous ending. Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water... wait, it actually is! And likely will remain so until The Meg proves itself a box-office and fan success. As The Meg star Jason Statham told EW, moviegoers are the ultimate arbiter of whether more of The Meg will surface. Said Statham, "If it makes money, there’s obviously an appetite to make more money, and if it doesn’t do well, they’ll soon sweep it under the carpet."

It's a smart move for the movie to not set it itself up for a sequel that potentially won't happen, something that famous bombs like Mac & Me, Remo Williams and Green Lantern all pulled, the last with exactly the kind of post-credits teaser fans have come to expect from sequel-having films. Yet if there's enough enthusiasm for a Meg sequel down the line, perhaps it'll end up being made. Steve Alten, author of the six-book series The Meg is based on, has clearly wrung a lot of story from the idea, and in an interview with Bloody Disgusting, he echoed Statham, saying, "As for the MEG sequels – absolutely. If the movie does well, there will be sequels. Of course, that goes for any successful Hollywood movie.”

Waiting to see if a sequel seems warranted isn't just prudent, it also means the movie gets to operate on its own, without an agenda. Unlike the difficulties posed by the Marvel Extended Universe, where each film not only has to worry about its own story but interweaving several others in a logical fashion (sometimes planting seeds for stories years down the road), The Meg gets to focus on exactly what the single movie is presenting to the audience. No prequels, sequels, outside stories, or additional information; everything from opening credits to final scene is the sum total of the film.

So while some fans primed to see some extra shark action will inevitably feel disappointed, realize that the lack of a post-credits scene is a credit to The Meg, and how its makers feel about their audience. You're getting all the shark action you need in the normal runtime.