“Jaws” returns to theaters for 50th anniversary

By Kristen Bubela, Staff Writer

Published Aug 29, 2025

Audrey Constant, of Marshfield, Mass., is wrapped in a towel featuring the “Jaws” movie, while walking on a beach that was used as a filming location for the film five decades ago, Monday, May 12, 2025, in Edgartown, Mass., on Martha’s Vineyard Island. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

It’s been 50 years since a great white shark terrorized a small New England coastal town and changed the way many people thought about the ocean.

“Jaws,” which launched the career of director Steven Spielberg, set the standard for box office blockbusters and became a cultural phenomenon.

Stephen Spielberg, director of Jaws, left, holds up a match in front of actor Roy Scheider, center, as fellow actor Richard Dreyfuss. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

To mark the occasion, “Jaws” is returning to movie theaters Aug. 29-Sept. 4.

Because of its strong marketing, “Jaws” was the first film to earn more than $100 million at the box office. Its success changed the release calendar for the film industry, making summer the new prime season for big-budget films.

“This movie did things that Hollywood blockbusters never did before, and things that we expect now,” Dr. Kimberly Owczarski, a professor in TCU’s department of film, television and digital media, said.

John Williams’ two-note theme remains one of the most recognizable suspense-filled scores in film history, and many still quote the line “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” Notable scenes, such as the opening beach attack and the final confrontation, are regularly referenced and parodied.

This suspense and realism of the movie struck a nerve. Some moviegoers admitted that they became hesitant to swim after seeing the film.

AMC “Jaws” 50th anniversary cup. (Kristen Bubela)

“That movie scared the hell out of us – it made people scared of beaches,” said Jared Shope, a TCU alum who recalled seeing the movie when it was released.

Some Fort Worth theaters celebrating the anniversary include the Movie Tavern, AMC and Cinemark. Cinemark and AMC are offering collectible items, ranging from popcorn buckets and t-shirts to coffee mugs and beach towels.