China will get to enjoy the first commercial screenings of Warner Bro.'s giant monster shark movie Meg that has now started its shooting.

Warner Bros. Pictures and China's Gravity Pictures announced that the Jason Statham and Li Bingbing-starring shark thriller will be released during the 2018 Chinese New Year Period that will start on Friday Feb. 16, 2018, two weeks prior to the film's original international release date of March 2, 2018, the Variety reported.

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Shooting for the film, which is based on Steve Alten's 1997 novel of the same name, is currently underway. According to the China Film Insider, the adaptation swapped its California setting for a Chinese coastline location to bring China's Gravity Pictures on board as co-producer and co-financier.

Jon Turtletaub (National Treasure and The Sorcerer's Apprentice) will direct the film. While the cinematography and photography will be handled by Clint Eastwood and Tom Stern (American Sniper and The Hunger Games), respectively.

The film is being produced by di Bonaventura Pictures, Apelles Entertainment, Maeday Productions, Inc., and Flagship Entertainment, together with Beijing Digital Impression Film. Meanwhile, flagship is the Hong Kong domiciled, Beijing-based production joint venture between Warner, China Media Capital, and Television Broadcasts. Gravity Pictures is a subsidiary unit of China Media Capital.

The story revolves around a deep-sea submersible that lies disabled at the bottom of the Mariana Trench after it has been attacked by a massive creature known to be extinct. With time running out, oceanographer (Winston Chao) recruits deep sea diver expert Jonas Taylor (Statham) to rescue the people trapped inside the submersible even against his daughter's will Suyin (Li Bingbing). Taylor, teamed with Suyin, must now face the biggest fear and risk of his life to save others, bringing him face to face with the prehistoric shark called the Megalodon.

TagsMeg, Meg 2018, Meg movie, Megalon shark, Warner Bro., Jason Statham, Li Bingbing, Ruby Rose, blockbuster