Overview

• The film’s nationwide June 1975 release established the summer blockbuster model by setting record opening-week grosses and earning three Oscars
• Jaws’ depiction of a great white shark ignited public fear that led to government-sanctioned culling programs and harmful policies
• Decades of research, documentaries and citizen science efforts have reframed sharks as vital apex predators and driven marine protected areas
• Shark diving excursions in Australia, the Bahamas, Fiji and South Africa now generate about $314 million annually and sustain over 10,000 conservation-linked jobs
• By using off-screen suspense and character focus, Jaws transformed audience engagement and inspired a more analytical, media-literate movie culture