Ben Wheatley, Director of ‘Meg 2: The Trench’, Reveals Why ‘Belfast’s Cinematographer was Essential

THE BIGGER SCENARIO
‘Meg 2: The Trench’ is set to exceed its precursor in grandeur, boasting a larger budget, a broader spectrum of creatures, and an amplified dose of humor. The Director of Photography, Haris Ambrotose, supplements the formidable team backing the film.
Ambrotose, who gained fame for his work on movies like Murder on the Orient Express and Thor, injects his imaginative and adaptable methods in creating breathtaking underwater visuals for Meg 2, utilizing advanced cameras from BBC’s Blue Planet.
The collaboration between Director Ben Wheatley and Ambrotose seemed inevitable, given Wheatley’s long-standing admiration for the cinematographer’s skills and reputation.

The sequel to the blockbuster prehistoric shark movie, Meg 2: The Trench, aspires to surpass the original with an amplified budget, more diverse creatures, and increased humor. Ben Wheatley, the new director, has roped in Haris Zambarloukos as Director of Photography, strengthening the team’s cinematographic expertise. Wheatley, during an interaction with FilmSweep’s Steve Weintraub, expressed his keenness to have Zambarloukos onboard for their renewed shark-hunting venture.

Over the years, Zambarloukos has curated an extraordinary repertoire as a cinematographer. Frequently collaborating with Kenneth Branagh, his distinct touch can be seen in Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, Cinderella, and the Oscar-winning Belfast, which earned him many award nominations. His next works, A Haunting in Venice and the eagerly awaited Beetlejuice 2, are set to grace the big screens soon after Meg 2. “Don’t forget, he’s also the cinematographer for Thor,” Wheatley reminded.

It seemed almost predestined to Wheatley that he and Zambarloukos would team up for Meg 2. He recalled hearing praises of the cinematographer’s excellent work long before their paths intertwined:

“Haris’s name kept coming up, thanks to a common colorist we both work with. For years, I’ve been hearing about Haris. Rob Pizzey, the colorist, never stopped talking about Haris and his exemplary skills as a DOP, and what a great person he is. So, after hearing about him for around a decade, it felt inevitable that we’d work together, and it was truly enjoyable. He’s extremely creative and flexible.”

Image courtesy Warner Bros
Zambarloukos Was the Perfect Fit for Meg 2

Their collaboration seemed like a divine arrangement for Zambarloukos. Meg 2 will follow action stars Jason Statham and Wu Jing leading a research team into the oceanic depths, where they face not only a host of Megs but a malicious mining operation threatening their mission and their lives. Wheatley expressed that Zambarloukos’s familiarity with aquatic life and the cinematographer’s utilization of cameras and techniques from BBC’s Blue Planet to depict underwater scenes in all their glory made him the ideal fit:

“He’s a major fan of surfing and everything aquatic. The most sophisticated underwater cameras are based at the studios for Blue Planet, the BBC show. It’s not far from us, so we used their advanced domed cameras for underwater scenes. These cameras prevent massive distortion underneath the water, maintaining consistency, which is a technique borrowed from Blue Planet. This was one of the innovations we incorporated in the film.”

Meg 2 also features Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Skyler Samuels, and Cliff Curtis. The movie hits theaters on August 4. Until then, watch the trailer below, and don’t miss our comprehensive interview with Wheatley.

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• Ben Wheatley
• Haris Zambarloukos
• Meg 2: The Trench
• BBC’s Blue Planet
• Murder on the Orient Express
• Thor
• Belfast