Meg 2: The Trench has debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a critic score 20 percent lower than The Meg, which was already considered rotten. Another installment in The Meg franchise, Meg 2: The Trench sees Jason Statham return as Jonas Taylor, as he and a crew of underwater explorers uncover a deep trench housing three massive Megalodon sharks. The sharks soon break loose to the surface, alongside another prehistoric creature that Jonas and his team need to battle.

Now, Rotten Tomatoes reports Meg 2: The Trench has an even lower critic score than The Meg, marking both entries as splats. As of writing, Meg 2: The Trench has a critic score of 26 percent. This is exactly 20 percent lower than the critic score for The Meg, which sits at 46 percent. While this score could fluctuate as more reviews come in, it's safe to say Meg 2: The Trench has been even more poorly received critically than The Meg.

Will Meg 2's Critics Score Impact Its Box Office?

Despite Meg 2: The Trench's negative reception from critics, the Rotten Tomatoes score doesn't necessarily reflect how well it will perform in theaters. Despite having a low score of its own, The Meg was a box office success, earning $530.2 million worldwide on an estimated $130 million to $178 million budget. Because the sequel has a budget that could be up to $185 million, Meg 2: The Trench's box office might need to reach around $380 million to be successful.

Because of the massive success of The Meg, it's plausible Meg 2: The Trench will garner a similar amount of box office revenue. However, big-budget action-adventure movies, such as Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, have been struggling to make a profit at the summer box office. Thus, it's unclear if Meg 2: The Trench can replicate The Meg's success in the current theatrical climate.

Meg 2: The Trench also has to compete with Barbie and Oppenheimer, two massive critical and financial successes still playing in theaters. In particular, Barbie has already broken box office records, indicating it won't have any trouble competing with Meg 2: The Trench. Even so, with a budget under $200 million and promising plenty of excitement, Meg 2: The Trench could earn a surprising amount at the box office despite its negative critical reception.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes