Sorry Marvel, Why The Meg 2 Director Thinks The Franchise Resonates With Moviegoers More Than Superhero Films
In the vast seascape of contemporary blockbusters, superhero films have largely dominated the box office and fan discussions over the last decade. Their larger-than-life protagonists and universes are packed with enough gravity-defying stunts, intergalactic threats, and enough spandex to stock a department store. But when The Meg surfaced back in 2018, it introduced a different kind of thrill: a giant prehistoric shark as its antagonist. The Meg 2: The Trench director Ben Wheatley believes the creature feature franchise resonates more with audiences than the spectacle of superhero cinema. And he makes an interesting point.
While many viewers were initially hooked by the sheer spectacle of Jason Statham battling a prehistoric shark, and some still are since the sequel seems like the rare flick where a rotten Rotten Tomato score appears to be attracting some movie watchers, The film's director believes that the real attraction is the genuine human touch and vulnerability of the characters, which he feels are missing in most upcoming Marvel movies and DC flicks. In a recent Screen Rant interview, Wheatley delved deeper into this perspective, saying:
So we wanted to bring all that which is, for me, I felt that it was this idea that it was an adventure that had characters that were vulnerable. They were trying to solve things, but they could be killed at any moment.
Despite its fantastical premise, The Meg and its sequel bring to the fore characters who are very much grounded in reality, facing an ancient terror with nothing but their wit, courage, and humanity. It's this vulnerability, according to the director, that gives the audience a point of entry into the narrative, allowing them to see themselves in these everyday heroes. He continued:
And that was what resonated a lot with the audience because it was more something they could understand on their level, rather than about a superhero film where they could never be those people. They look up to them, but you can’t be them. I felt like that was my big takeaway for me. It was like, ‘Oh, my god, yeah. I worry about these people, and I like them. They’re just working people who are trying to get through a day, and they’re trying really hard to solve stuff.’
It's a potent argument the filmmaker makes. While superhero movies often impress with awe-inspiring visuals and larger-than-life characters, they can sometimes distance viewers with their superhuman abilities and unrelatable challenges.
In the face of some, let's say, less-than-stellar reviews, The Meg 2: The Trench has shockingly pulled in a cool $140 million on its debut weekend. And it was sharing the marquee with heavy hitters like the billion-buck sensation Barbie and the fresh-out-the-oven Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. But here's a Hollywood truth bomb for ya: not every box office disaster is cinematic trash, and not every dud is a disaster. The silver screen experience is all shades of subjective.
Meg 2: The Trench is currently still splashing around in theaters raking in global earnings, so don't miss it. Also, check out our 2023 movie release schedule for the slew of upcoming horror movies set to hit theaters and streaming platforms in 2023 and beyond!
King Of The Hill Cast And Fans Pay Tribute To Johnny Hardwick After His Death
King of the Hill fans were shocked after finding out Dale Gribble voice actor Johnny Hardwick died at age 64. The news was more surprising as no one knew Hardwick was ill. Now, the King of the Hill cast and fans have posted multiple tributes following the news to show their love for the voice actor.
After the sad news broke online, Hardwick’s King of the Hill family got on social media to express their love and admiration for the versatile actor. The first castmate to speak on his passing was Breckin Meyer, who voiced Dale’s son Joseph. He made a reference to the father-son bond between the two characters on his Twitter account in a loving tribute to the late YouTuber.
Was lucky enough to have Johnny Hardwick as my pops Dale for almost a decade. He will be so damn missed! RIP pic.twitter.com/pOvOG34289August 10, 2023
Meyer’s familial statement was spot on given the image he chose to post. It appeared the TV father-son relationship spilled over to real life as the Clueless alum and Hardwick played the mismatched animated son-father duo for 13 seasons. Breckin Meyer’s remarks were followed by fellow King of the Hill alum Toby Huss. He worked with Hardwick regularly as Hank Hill’s abusive father Cotton and Laotian neighbor Kahn Souphanousinphone on the Emmy-winning animated comedy. Huss took to his Twitter account to remember his time with the late actor.
Goddamnit. He was a sweetheart. Thirteen years I worked with him on KOTH. A silly good man. Oh hell. My love to his family.
Huss was heartbroken over losing his King of the Hill cohort. Much like Breckin Meyer, the White House Plumbers star formed a lasting bond with Johnny Hardwick by working with him for over a decade on the TV show. Of course, Huss wasn’t the only longtime cast member to express his condolences as King of the Hill co-creator Mike Judge posted an image from the series featuring Dale Gribble. Before deleting his words, Judge wrote a moving comment to his late friend and castmate:
Sorry for everyone’s loss! We are gonna miss you, Johnny! Sha sha and just like sand thru a pocket he’s the stars now.
Despite deleting his words, the Beavis and Butt-Head mastermind kept the accompanying photo up. You can see the entire Instagram post below.
The Hank Hill voice actor followed up his sweet tribute by giving an official statement to TMZ. Mike Judge chose to eulogize the late comedian as he expressed his condolences to Hardwick’s family. He stated:
I am deeply saddened by the loss of my friend Johnny Hardwick. He was a great writer, actor, and comedian, and he will be deeply missed.
Johnny Hardwick’s castmates weren’t the only ones opening up about the Dale Gribble actor’s impact. Fans sent out an outpouring of love and support for the late actor. One Twitter user shared how impactful Hardwick’s performance on the show was along with a notable clip.
RIP Johnny Hardwick, whose work as Dale Gribble was a foundational comedy performance for me. This is just one of so many bits of pure hilarity he brought us. pic.twitter.com/IgtWKQ8lS7August 10, 2023
Another fan chose to share not one but multiple memorable lines from Hardwick’s Dale from the original series on their Twitter. Look at their favorite Dale Gribble one-liners along with their sweet words in the tweet below.
There are so many amazing Dale Gribble lines it’s almost impossible to go through them all, but here are a few of my favoritesJohnny Hardwick brought life to a role that will be very hard to duplicate, if they even try. RIP to a legend. pic.twitter.com/gCYGqtSQqaAugust 10, 2023
One user hopped on their Twitter account to remember Johnny Hardwick’s Dale Gribble-style YouTube parody songs. Watch the late Hollywood writer singing his heart out as Dale in the clip below.
RIP Johnny Hardwick, voice actor of Dale Gribble from King of the Hill and master of pocket sand pic.twitter.com/SCGBN3jLUmAugust 10, 2023
Another King of the Hill fan took to their Twitter account to call for the series revival to be canceled after hearing about Hardwick’s passing. Cancellation wasn’t the only thing on their mind as the Twitter user posted an on-brand meme of Dale Gribble.
R.I.P. Johnny HardwickJust cancel the KOTH reboot, at this point.No Luanne and no Dale? Why even bother, at that point? pic.twitter.com/m40CUcru8UAugust 11, 2023
Besides voicing Dale Gribble for the Fox animated series, Johnny Hardwick served as a producer, writer, and story editor throughout King of the Hill’s entire series run. He was expected to return as the nasally-toned exterminator for the series’ streaming revival. Unfortunately, Hardwick hadn’t done any voice work before his untimely passing.
If you want to revisit your favorite Dale Gribble lines from Johnny Hardwick, get a Hulu subscription to watch every season of King of the Hill. The streamer will also serve as the home to the animated revival along with other upcoming Hulu shows. It is currently unclear if Dale Gribble will be recast or written out of the reboot. Come back to CinemaBlend for more updates on the King of the Hill revival.
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