Critically speaking, The Meg has drawn mixed reviews from critics (it currently ranks at 49% on Rotten Tomatoes), but commercially speaking, the movie has exceeded expectations.
Judging by how the movie is doing in theaters, it looks like all this outside-the-box marketing has helped put butts in seats.
This past weekend, it made $44.5 million domestically, blowing those $20-$22 million estimates out of the water (pun intended), while its worldwide total added up to $146 million, which included a strong start in China.
The Meg certainly had a unique marketing campaign beyond tone, from deciding not to release a second trailer after realization that it wouldn’t reach as much of the intended audience as desired, to holding special events like a touring VR experience where attendees waded in a water tank to watch The Meg, to airing special TV spots during Shark Week on Discovery Channel.