Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Meg 2: The Trench!
Summary
- Li Bingbing does not appear in Meg 2: The Trench, as the sequel reveals that her character, Suyin, died after the events of The Meg.
- The absence of Li Bingbing's character is explained within the movie, but the details of her death and what happened in the years between films are not provided.
- It's unclear why Suyin's character was killed off-screen, as it limits the possibility of Li Bingbing returning for future sequels. It's possible that the actress may have retired from acting.
Li Bingbing does not return in Meg 2: The Trench, as the sequel reveals what happened to Suyin after The Meg. The sequel sees Jason Statham's Jonas Taylor return to action and fighting megalodons several years after the events of the original movie. Meg 2: The Trench revolves around a core group of characters that are mostly returnees from the first movie, as Meiying, Mac, and DJ are back together and joined by a few new faces. The group of heroes work together to stop three megalodons and other creatures who escaped from The Trench, all while battling some nefarious human enemies too.
For as many actors that return, there are several missing characters in Meg 2 who appeared in and survived the previous installment. The biggest absence comes with Li Bingbing's Suyin not appearing in Meg 2. She was alive at the conclusion of the last movie and positioned to be a romantic interest for Jason Statham moving forward. Suyin's daughter Meiying returns for the sequel, which also introduces Chinese movie star Jing Wu as Suyin's brother Juiming. Instead of letting questions circulate about why Suyin is not in the movie, Meg 2 directly explains why Li Bingbing's character is not featured.
Meg 2: The Trench Reveals Suyin Died Years After The Meg's Story
It is confirmed in Meg 2: The Trench that Suyin died after The Meg's ending. The revelation comes during a 10th-anniversary party for the Oceanic Institute that Juiming hosts with Jonas and Meiying among those in attendance. Juiming explains his history with megalodons and the institute during his speech, which includes some background on why he wanted to create it and how he merged his organization with his father's Zhang Oceanic Laboratory. It is during this time that he recounts how his father died during the original megalodon event and mentions how Suyin died before Meg 2.
The reveal that Li Bingbing's Suyin died after The Meg comes with limited details. A slide shown on a screen at the party confirms that Suyin died in 2021, presumably three years after when the original movie's events take place. The cause of death is not revealed nor is what Suyin did in the years after The Meg and before her death. This includes leaving questions about if and how her and Jonas' relationship progressed. In any case, Suyin's death explains why Li Bingbing is not in Meg 2.
Why Meg 2 Killed Li Bingbing's Character Off-Screen
It is a bit confounding why Meg 2 kills Li Bingbing's Suyin off-screen instead of finding another way to explain her absence. This eliminates any chance for Li Bingbing to return in a potential sequel, and Suyin's death is barely discussed by Jonas or Meiying to help further their stories. The best explanation is that Li Bingbing may have quietly taken a step back from acting to pursue other interests. If she has retired from acting, Suyin's death in Meg 2: The Trench makes a bit more sense.