Overview

• Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story premiered July 10 on National Geographic and streams July 11 on Disney+ and Hulu, marking Laurent Bouzereau’s detailed exploration of Spielberg’s 1975 classic.
• In rare interviews Spielberg reveals how mechanical shark failures and weather delays left him with nightmares, a fear of being fired and frequent calls to his mother, supplemented by on-set visits from Martin Scorsese.
• Bouzereau deliberately excludes the three sequels to concentrate on the original film’s transformative production, cultural revolution and enduring influence.
• Directors such as James Cameron, Steven Soderbergh, J. J. Abrams, Guillermo del Toro and Jordan Peele discuss how Jaws shaped blockbuster storytelling across generations.
• Wendy Benchley and her family describe how the film’s fear-driven impact propelled their work with the Environmental Defense Fund, WildAid and the creation of marine protected areas worldwide.