Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

Jaws

Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Jaws is the 1975 thriller directed by Steven Spielberg that defined the summer blockbuster. It follows a police chief, a marine biologist, and a shark hunter as they try to stop a great white shark terrorizing a beach town.

What it is

Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel. The story is set in the fictional resort town of Amity, where a great white shark attacks swimmers. It stars Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw.

Why it matters

Jaws was released on June 20, 1975, and became a major box-office hit. It is widely credited as the first summer blockbuster, reshaping how Hollywood markets and releases films. The original film spawned three sequels: Jaws 2, Jaws 3-D, and Jaws: The Revenge.

Key details

The film is not based on a specific true story; it adapts Benchley’s novel, which was inspired in part by the 1916 Jersey Shore shark attacks. The shark is portrayed as enormous but no official size is given in the sources. Jaws remains a staple of film studies and popular culture in Canada.

In short

  • Directed by Steven Spielberg, released June 20, 1975
  • Based on Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel
  • Considered the first summer blockbuster
  • Four films in the franchise
Canadian angle

Jaws has had long-standing popularity in Canada as a widely distributed Hollywood classic and a staple of English-language film studies and popular culture.

Quick questions

Is Jaws based on a true story?
No. It is based on Peter Benchley’s novel. The novel was inspired by the 1916 Jersey Shore shark attacks, but the film’s story is entirely fictional.
Who directed Jaws?
Steven Spielberg directed Jaws.
How many Jaws movies are there?
There are four Jaws films in total: the original and three sequels.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaws_(film)
    Supports: Director, plot, release year, and main cast.
  2. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Jaws-film-by-Spielberg
    Supports: Release date, director, summary, and the existence of three sequels.
  3. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073195/
    Supports: Plot summary, characters, and the film being based on Peter Benchley’s novel.
  4. British Film Institute — https://www.bfi.org.uk/film/98b20662-5754-5b8a-8e69-38fbec0d85c2/jaws
    Supports: Film description, director, and adaptation from Peter Benchley’s novel.
  5. Wikipedia — https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaws_(franchise)
    Supports: Franchise total of four films including three sequels.