Jaws: 50th Anniversary (2025)
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Universal Pictures Celebrates The 50th Anniversary Of Steven Spielberg’s Academy Award-Winning Masterpiece
Universal Pictures is proud to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jaws. This is Steven Spielberg’s Academy Award–winning thriller that redefined the theatrical experience. It remains one of the most influential films in cinema history. On August 29, the film returns to theaters nationwide in stunning 4K. Select screenings will be presented in IMAX, RealD 3D, 4DX, and D-BOX formats. This offers audiences the chance to experience the original summer blockbuster as never before.
Released on June 20, 1975, Jaws became a box office sensation and a cultural tidal wave. It was the first film in history to surpass $100 million at the domestic box office. It also helped usher in the era of the wide-release blockbuster. Its success redefined the studio release model and established the summer season as Hollywood’s premiere showcase for event films.
For Spielberg—who had made his feature debut the year prior with The Sugarland Express—Jaws marked a pivotal ascent. The film cemented his place among the defining filmmakers of his generation. His mastery of suspense, character, and visual storytelling would shape the trajectory of American filmmaking for decades to come.
At age 27, Spielberg approached Jaws with both ambition and restraint. The production’s mechanical shark, nicknamed Bruce, repeatedly malfunctioned. Spielberg leaned into the power of suggestion. He built dread through careful composition, editing, and sound. The result was a new cinematic language for thrillers. It was defined as much by what is unseen as by what is revealed.
Jaws was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It won three: Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Original Score for John Williams’ now-legendary theme. The film marked an early milestone in Spielberg’s partnership with Williams. Their collaboration would come to define the emotional and musical architecture of modern film.
Adapted from Peter Benchley’s bestselling novel, Jaws follows the residents of Amity Island. A series of attacks by a great white shark threatens the summer tourist economy. This prompts the town’s police chief (Oscar nominee Roy Scheider) to act. A young marine biologist (Oscar winner Richard Dreyfuss) joins him. Together with a grizzled shark hunter (Oscar nominee Robert Shaw), they venture into open waters to confront the predator head-on. The film also starred Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Carl Gottlieb, and Jeffrey Kramer. The screenplay was written by Benchley and Gottlieb. Jaws was produced by Oscar winner Richard D. Zanuck and Oscar nominee David Brown, with cinematography by Oscar nominee Bill Butler and editing by Oscar winner Verna Fields.
“Few films have had the kind of enduring impact Jaws has had,” said Jim Orr, President of Domestic Theatrical Distribution for Universal Pictures. “It was a cultural event when it debuted in 1975, and its impact continues to resonate with every generation of moviegoers. We’re proud to bring it back to theaters in the most dynamic formats available, where audiences can once again experience the full power of this enduring classic, exactly as it was meant to be seen.”
Tickets for the 50th anniversary re-release are on sale now and can be purchased here.
The theatrical re-release of Jaws is part of a global celebration honoring the film’s 50-year legacy. Jaws: The Exhibition opens on September 14 at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Themed experiences are available at Universal Studios theme parks worldwide. A commemorative 50th anniversary merchandise collection is available. You can find streaming availability on Peacock beginning this summer.
