Warner Bros.' Shark Movie 'The Meg' Gets China Release Date

Starring Jason Statham and Li Bingbing, the action flick is co-produced by Warner Bros.' Chinese studio Flagship Entertainment and Beijing-based Gravity Pictures.

Warner Bros' forthcoming action flick The Meg, in which Jason Statham battles a giant prehistoric shark, has landed a release date in China.

The film will open in the Middle Kingdom on Aug. 10, the same day it rolls out in North America, the U.K. and other major international markets. Warner Bros. may have been helped in scoring the advantageous day-and-date release by the fact that the film has considerable Chinese involvement.

The Meg co-stars Chinese actress Li Bingbing and it was co-financed and co-produced by Gravity Pictures, the film studio of entertainment conglomerate China Media Capital. Warners is a co-producer on the project via its Beijing- and Hong Kong-based joint venture film label Flagship Entertainment, in which CMC is also a majority shareholder.

Directed by Jon Turteltaub (While You Were Sleeping, National Treasure), The Meg follows the story of navy captain Jonas Taylor (Statham) as he tries to put his life back together following an escape from a deadly shipwreck that he claims was caused by an attack of a 70-foot prehistoric shark. After losing his credibility and nearly everything, Jonas is forced to confront his fears by venturing back into the deep to save the passengers aboard a sunken submarine — including his ex-wife, played by Li. Cliff Curtis, Rainn Wilson, Ruby Rose, Winston Chao, Page Kennedy, Jessica McNamee, Olafur Darri Olafsson, Sophia Shuya Cai and Masi Oka also star.