Overview

• National Geographic’s Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story premieres July 10 on National Geographic and streams July 11 on Disney+ and Hulu, revisiting the film’s genesis.
• Spielberg recounts in the documentary how malfunctioning mechanical sharks and budget overruns triggered panic attacks and nightmares that persisted long after shooting ended.
• Its 1975 release on 464 screens and saturation TV marketing transformed studio calendars and launched the summer blockbuster model still used today.
• Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and California State University-Long Beach credit Jaws’s initial scare factor with sparking public engagement that funded decades of shark and marine ecosystem research.
• Wendy Benchley and other ocean advocates are using the anniversary to call for stronger shark protections, sustainable fishing policies and expanded marine sanctuaries.