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Fifty years after directing Jaws, Steven Spielberg is collaborating with National Geographic to produce a documentary as an anniversary tribute.
Tentatively titled Jaws @ 50, the film will be directed by Laurent Bouzereau under NatGeo’s Amblin Documentaries banner. It will include archival footage and images from Spielberg’s archives, as well as materials from the collection of Peter Benchley, who wrote the novel on which the Jaws film was based in 1975. Jaws @ 50 will also feature new interviews with figures in pop culture, literature, and oceanography.
The documentary will offer an insider’s glimpse into the production of the film that made waves in the 1970s, including accounts of the mishaps that surrounded the creation of Jaws, ranging from budgetary issues to sea-sickness and the malfunctioning of the mechanical sharks that were used. As a nod to the ecology movement, Jaws @ 50 will also address the role sharks play in the marine environment.
In announcing plans for the documentary, a joint statement was made by Amblin Documentaries president Darryl Frank and Amblin Television’s president Justin Falvey, who said: “The idea of diving into the past, present and future legacy of Jaws, combined with an informed and inspiring discussion about sharks and the ocean in one documentary, is a unique opportunity to explore the perfect union between art and science.”
These words were echoed by Janet Han Vissering, senior vice president of production and development at National Geographic, who added: “National Geographic has celebrated sharks for over two decades with our annual summer event ‘Sharkfest,’ so we naturally jumped at the chance to partner with Amblin Documentaries and Nedland Media on Jaws @ 50. Jaws not only became a massive pop culture phenomenon, but the initial fear it elicited propelled the world’s fascination with sharks, opening the door to our understanding of these apex predators and stressing the urgency in protecting our oceans.”
As of now, Jaws @ 50 is scheduled for release in the summer of 2025 on the National Geographic channel and will stream on Disney+ and Hulu as part of NatGeo’s Sharkfest programming.