The Meg

“The Meg” swims into theaters this weekend and is looking to nab the No. 1 spot at the box office with an estimated $40 million from 4,118 North American locations. The estimate is significantly higher than earlier predictions, which had placed the film in the $20 million to $22 million frame. The Warner Bros. film took in $16.5 million on Friday and stars Jason Statham as a scientist who, along with his team, tries to stop a prehistoric 75-foot Megalodon shark from terrorizing a beach. Jon Turtletaub directed “The Meg,” which has received mixed reviews from critics and carries a 50% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie is based on the 1997 book “Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror” by Steve Alten and was in development for over two decades. “The Meg” is a co-production with China’s Gravity and carries a $150 million price tag, so it will need substantial overseas business. It’s also opening in China,