There is obviously a strong case to be made that a movie like The Meg would’ve been improved with an R-rating to up the violence and gore caused by the titular shark, but that does not change the fact that keeping the film slightly tamer created a movie that more people could see — which ultimately helped the Warner Bros. bottom line.
It’s hardly a secret that the PG-13 rating arguably casts the widest possible net for an audience these days.
Intense enough that it appeals to the adults, while still tame enough to remain entertaining to a reasonably young viewer, PG-13 monster movies like The Meg have something for just about everyone, which means that moviegoers of nearly all ages can come along for the ride.