Bigger Boat, Bigger Legacy! National Geographic Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Blockbuster Film Jaws With the Only Authorized Documentary, JAWS @ 50: THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY, Featuring Exclusive New Interviews With Director Steven Spielberg
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Geographic's SHARKFEST wouldn't exist without the film that changed cinema - and our relationship with sharks - forever: 'Jaws.' This summer, in tribute to the movie that sparked a lasting fascination with the ocean's most misunderstood predator, National Geographic goes behind the scenes of the legendary blockbuster with JAWS @ 50: THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Laurent Bouzereau ('Faye,' 'Music by John Williams'), the 90-minute documentary takes viewers on the ultimate deep dive, from Peter Benchley's bestselling novel to the cinematic phenomenon that is 'Jaws' and how the film continues to ripple through pop culture, cinema and shark conservation to this day. You may think you know the full story of 'Jaws' - but not until now.
JAWS @ 50 hails from Steven Spielberg's Amblin Documentaries and Nedland Films, in partnership with Wendy Benchley and Laura Bowling, and is this summer's only authorized documentary on the making of 'Jaws,' with the award-winning director himself diving back into the story that launched his career and earned him final cut on the film, a creative control he has maintained for the last 50 years. The documentary premieres July 10 at 9/8c on National Geographic and streams the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.
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.
In addition to Steven Spielberg, the documentary includes exclusive interviews from original cast and crew - including 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 - and a who's who of modern filmmakers and superfans - including J.J. Abrams, Emily Blunt, James Cameron, Cameron Crowe, George Lucas, Greg Nicotero, Jordan Peele, Steven Soderbergh, Guillermo del Toro, Robert Zemeckis, and more - reflect on how 'Jaws' shaped their work and the cinematic landscape.
Alongside cast and crew, the film also features heartfelt insights from Peter Benchley's wife, renowned voice for sharks and ocean policy advocate Wendy Benchley; their children, Tracy Benchley Turner and Clayton Benchley; and his brother, Nat Benchley, offering a rare glimpse into the real-life inspiration behind the bestselling novel that started it all.
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.
For National Geographic, JAWS @ 50: THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY is produced by Amblin Documentaries and Nedland Films. For Amblin Documentaries, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey are producers. For Nedland Films, Laurent Bouzereau and Markus Keith are producers, with Bouzereau also directing. Wendy Benchley and Laura Bowling executive produce the documentary. And, for National Geographic, Tracy Rudolph Jackson and Ted Duvall executive produce.
About National Geographic Content
Representing the largest brand on social media with over 780 million followers and 1.1 billion impressions each month, National Geographic Content's award-winning and critically acclaimed storytelling inspires fans of all ages to connect with, explore and care about the world through factual storytelling. National Geographic Content, part of a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, reaches over 532 million people worldwide in 172 countries and 33 languages as a digital, social and print publisher and across the global National Geographic channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO), National Geographic Documentary Films, and direct-to-consumer platforms Disney+ and Hulu. Its diverse content includes Oscar®- and BAFTA award-winning film Free Solo, Oscar-nominated films Sugarcane, Fire of Love and Bobi Wine: The People's President, Emmy® Award-winning franchise 9/11: One Day in America and JFK: One Day in America, Emmy® Award-winning series Animals Up Close, series Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller, Life Below Zero, and Secrets of the Whales, in addition to multiple National Magazine Awards, Pulitzer Prize Finalists and Webby wins. Visit nationalgeographic.com and natgeotv.com or explore Instagram, Threads, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit.
About Amblin Documentaries
Amblin Documentaries is a division of Amblin Partners, a content creation company led by Steven Spielberg. Presidents, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey oversee all development, production, and programming for Amblin Documentaries. In addition to its award-winning, culture-defining work in the scripted space through Amblin Television, Amblin Documentaries is a producer of renowned documentary features and series such as the film 'Good Night Oppy' for Prime Video – which was nominated for seven Prime Time and News and Documentary Emmys, the Emmy-winning series 'Five Came Back' for Netflix, and 'Laurel Canyon – A Place in Time' – which received three Emmy nominations including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special for its portrayal of the music scene in LA's Laurel Canyon in the 60's and 70's.
Most recently, Amblin Documentaries produced 'Life on Our Planet,' 'Encounters,' and 'Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul' for Netflix as well as 'San Francisco Sound' for MGM+. Upcoming projects from Amblin Documentaries include 'Faye,' based on the life and career of Faye Dunaway, which premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival, 'Bodyguard of Lies,' with the Washington Post & Alex Gibney, 'Wild, Wild Space,' with HyperObject Industries & ZPZ, and, in partnership with Imagine Entertainment, a documentary on the life and work of legendary composer John Williams.
Amblin Documentaries also produced 'Strokes of Genius' – the double-Emmy nominated film about the epic rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal; and 'The Contender' – in which Sylvester Stallone and Sugar Ray Leonard give 16 young boxing hopefuls a shot at the big time, and which received two Emmy nominations. Other unscripted Amblin Documentaries productions include 'Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy' and HBO's 'Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind' and 'Mama's Boy: A Story from Our Americas.
About Nedland Films / Laurent Bouzereau (Director/Producer), and Markus Keith (Producer)
Laurent Bouzereau is an award-winning filmmaker and best-selling author. His films, which he co-produced with his partner Markus Keith through their production company Nedland Films, include the feature documentary Faye about legendary actress Faye Dunaway for HBO/Amblin, the award-winning documentary Music by John Williams, produced by Steven Spielberg and Amblin/Imagine, the Disney+/Lucasfilm documentary Timeless Heroes on Harrison Ford, the HBO feature documentaries Mama's Boy, based on the best-selling memoir by Dustin Lance Black, and Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind, as well as the acclaimed Netflix series Five Came Back (with an Emmy winning narration by Meryl Streep), executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Amblin. Bouzereau is the author of several books on cinema, including Spielberg: The First Ten Years (2023) and The De Palma Decade (2024).
About Wendy Benchley
Wendy Benchley is a renowned global voice for protecting sharks and safeguarding our seas. As a scuba diver, she has witnessed dramatic changes to our ocean's wildlife and habitats; this has motivated her vigorous efforts to help shape smarter, stronger environmental and marine policies with government officials, NGOs, and other civic leaders. Based in Washington, D.C., Wendy is actively engaged in the marine policy community and supports many of the world's leading ocean & environmental philanthropies. She plays a prominent leadership role and is actively involved, as a Board member, in WildAid's highly effective and widely respected global work that reduces the demand for illegal wildlife products, including ivory, rhino horn, and shark fin. She is a Board Member of Beneath the Waves and Blue Frontier Campaign. She is also a Trustee on EDF's Advisory Board.
About Laura A. Bowling
Laura is a branding and strategic communications executive who has successfully led interdisciplinary creative teams for 25 years, delivering award-winning campaigns across all media platforms from corporate and nonprofit arenas. Laura has worked with some of the world's most successful companies and prestigious brands, including Procter & Gamble, Ogilvy (N.Y.C.), The Walt Disney Company, and Conservation International, where she served as Chief Marketing Officer. Laura has a deep passion for protecting the environment and social causes. She oversees a successful consulting business, based in Carmel, California, that focuses on branding, strategic communications, and development for nonprofits. She has worked closely with Wendy Benchley on all aspects of branding for the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards and on Wendy's public speaking and ocean advocacy events, publications, and press.
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