National Geographic goes behind the scenes of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws for the film’s 50th anniversary with the documentary Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story. Nat Geo credits the iconic film with launching its annual sharkfest, and with the celebratory documentary, fans of sharks and all things Jaws will be privy to brand-new details.
Shot on a $9-12 million-ish budget and released in June 1975, the PG-rated horror thriller is credited with being the first summer blockbuster. The 90-minute documentary, directed by Laurent Bouzereau (Faye, Music by John Williams), premieres on July 10, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT on National Geographic and streams the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.
The 50th anniversary documentary features interviews with Steven Spielberg, Joe Alves (production designer), Jonathan Filley (Cassidy), Lorraine Gary (Ellen Brody), Carl Gottlieb (Meadows, screenwriter), Jeffrey Kramer (Hendricks), Ian Shaw (son of Robert Shaw, who played Quint), Jeffrey Voorhees (Alex Kintner), and composer John Williams. Jaws fans J.J. Abrams, Emily Blunt, James Cameron, Cameron Crowe, George Lucas, Greg Nicotero, Jordan Peele, Steven Soderbergh, Guillermo del Toro, and Robert Zemeckis also discuss the impact of Spielberg’s shark film.
Nat Geo offered this description of the documentary:
“This definitive account offers an unfiltered look at the chaos and creativity behind the making of Jaws, featuring never-before-seen footage from Spielberg’s and Benchley’s personal archives, including home videos and rare outtakes. Through candid new reflections, Spielberg recounts the high-stakes production, from battling a malfunctioning mechanical shark and relentless weather delays to his own post-production PTSD and fears the film would end his career.
The documentary also reexamines the infamous ‘Jaws effect’—the wave of shark fear it unleashed—and reframes it as a legacy of awe, curiosity, and enduring respect for the ocean’s top predator. Complemented by brand-new interviews with cast, crew, filmmakers, and shark advocates, Jaws @ 50 captures the full creative and cultural shockwaves of the first summer blockbuster.
But Jaws @ 50 is more than a behind-the-scenes doc; it’s a celebration of a legacy that fueled a global shark obsession and inspired generations of scientists, storytellers, and ocean defenders. Through thoughtful conversations with leading marine advocates and scientists—including Philippe Cousteau, Candace Fields, Austin Gallagher, Gibbs Kuguru, Dr. John Mandelman (New England Aquarium), National Geographic Explorer and photographer Brian Skerry, Dr. Greg Skomal and others—the documentary explores how Jaws reshaped our relationship with the ocean and helped transform public perception of sharks, turning fear into fascination and sparking real-world conservation efforts that continue today.”
The documentary is produced for National Geographic by Amblin Documentaries and Nedland Films. Director Laurent Bouzereau, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, and Markus Keith serve as producers. Executive producers include Wendy Benchley, Laura Bowling, Tracy Rudolph Jackson, and Ted Duvall.
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