Jaws Returns to Theaters Nationwide for 50th Anniversary
Universal Pictures will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jaws, Steven Spielberg’s Academy Award–winning thriller that redefined the theatrical experience and remains one of the most influential films in cinema history.
On August 29, the film returns to theaters nationwide in stunning 4K, with select screenings in IMAX, RealD 3D, 4DX, and D-BOX, offering 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, helping 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 Steven 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, and 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. When the production’s mechanical shark, nicknamed Bruce, repeatedly malfunctioned, Spielberg leaned into the power of suggestion, building dread through careful composition, editing, and sound. The result was a new cinematic language for thrillers—one defined as much by what is unseen as by what is revealed.
Jaws was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and 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, whose 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 as a series of attacks by a great white shark threatens the summer tourist economy—prompting the town’s police chief (Oscar nominee Roy Scheider), a young marine biologist (Oscar winner Richard Dreyfuss), and a grizzled shark hunter (Oscar nominee Robert Shaw) to venture into open waters to confront the predator head-on.
The film also starred Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Carl Gottlieb, and Jeffrey Kramer. Benchley and Gottlieb wrote the screenplay. 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 Jaws 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. Additional tributes include Jaws: The Exhibition, opening on September 14 at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures; themed experiences at Universal Studios theme parks worldwide; a commemorative 50th anniversary merchandise collection; and streaming availability on Peacock, beginning this summer.
