Why You Can Trust CNET 'Meg 2: The Trench' Streaming on Max: Release Date and Time
Look out for the shark sequel this week.
Max is adding more for its subscribers to chew on, from live sports to a 24/7 CNN news stream to movies that recently surfaced in theaters.
Meg 2: The Trench, the sequel to 2018's The Meg, will unleash toothy terror on the streaming service this week. It premiered in theaters in early August. The action flick pits Jason Statham against more megalodon sharks and piles on other threats to him and his fellow protagonists. Other returning cast members include Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy and Cliff Curtis, and Wu Jing is among the newcomers.
The sequel is directed by Ben Wheatley (Kill List, A Field in England), taking over from National Treasure director Jon Turteltaub. Here's when you can watch the continuation of the shark saga on Max (the new HBO Max), plus how a VPN could improve the streaming experience.
When to watch Meg 2: The Trench on Max
Meg 2's supersize fins are coming to Max on Sept. 29 at 12:01 a.m. PT/3:01 a.m. ET. If you need more to devour, Max also has The Meg.
The streaming service unites the HBO Max and Discovery Plus libraries and is currently available in the US. Max offers three plans: With Ads -- the least expensive option, at $10 per month or $100 per year -- Ad-Free, and Ultimate Ad-Free. Outside of the streamer, you could still try to catch a theater screening or buy or rent the movie for $20-$25 from services such as Amazon and Vudu.
Max is on the pricier end of the streaming service spectrum -- at least if you look at its ad-based tier. As far as ways to save, you can opt to pay for a year of Max up front rather than paying for 12 separate months. Max's offerings include HBO and Max Originals, Warner Bros. films, DC Comics movies and programming from brands like HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, TLC and ID.
How to watch Meg 2: The Trench from anywhere with a VPN
Perhaps you're traveling abroad and want to stream Max while away from home. With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the movie from anywhere in the world. There are other good reasons to use a VPN for streaming too.
A VPN is the best way to encrypt your traffic to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds. Using a VPN is also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins. Streaming TV can be a bit smoother with a reliable, quality VPN that's passed our tests and security standards.
You can use a VPN to stream content legally as long as VPNs are allowed in your country and you have a valid subscription to the streaming service you're using. The US and Canada are among the countries where VPNs are legal, but we advise against streaming or downloading content on illegal torrent sites. We recommend ExpressVPN, but you may opt for another provider from our best list, such as Surfshark or NordVPN.
If you're looking for a secure and dependable VPN, our Editors' Choice is ExpressVPN. It's fast, works on multiple devices, and provides stable streams. It's normally $13 a month, but it currently costs less overall to go for a 12-month subscription, where each month shakes out to $8.32.
ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Read our review of ExpressVPN.
Follow the VPN provider's instructions for installation, and choose the United States, where Meg 2: The Trench will be streaming on Max. Before you open the streaming app, make sure you're connected to your VPN using your selected region. If you want to stream Meg 2 on more than one device, it's possible you'll need to configure each one to ensure you're signed in. Go to settings and check your network connections to verify you're logged in and connected to your VPN account. Now you're ready to open Max to stream.
If you run into issues with streaming, first make sure your VPN is up and running on its encrypted IP address. Double-check that you've followed installation instructions correctly and you've picked the right geographical area for viewing. If you still encounter connection problems, you may need to reboot your device. Close all apps and windows, restart your device and connect to your VPN first. Note that some streaming services have restrictions on VPN access.