‘Jaws @ 50’ dives into how the blockbuster reshaped pop culture and our relationship with sharks

LOS ANGELES — National Geographic’s new documentary “Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story” takes viewers beyond the famous mechanical shark and into the minds of the people who made the movie that changed Hollywood and our relationship with the ocean forever.

Featuring new interviews with director Stephen Spielberg and original cast members, the documentary includes reflections from Wendy Benchley, widow of “Jaws” author Peter Benchley and a leading voice in ocean conservation.

At the heart of the film is an exploration of how audiences connected deeply with the characters, and how the crew built meaningful relationships with locals during filming, both of which director Laurent Bouzereau sees as key to the film’s legacy.

“It’s also archetypal characters, those three guys on the boat. We know them. And each of them represents a different aspect of mankind, if you will,” he said. And we don’t know which one is going to survive.”

The documentary also revisits how “Jaws” helped shape public perception of sharks. While Benchley’s original novel and the 1975 film may have initially sparked fear, the years that followed saw a shift in attitude from fear to fascination. This shift was thanks, in part, to the work of the Benchleys themselves.

“They were thinking sharks were monsters and they should be destroyed,” Bouzereau said. “The work that they did, and that Wendy still does, with a lot of other scientists is nothing short of inspirational and important.” Wendy Benchley also serves as an executive producer on the documentary.

Beyond the science and storytelling, “Jaws @ 50” was also a deeply personal project for Bouzereau. He first discovered Spielberg as a teenager, which inspired him to move to the U.S. with hopes if one day working with the legendary director.

“I’ve now been with him for 30 years,” Bouzereau said. “He has given me a career in filmmaking and storytelling and I’m extremely grateful forever to him.”

“Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story” premieres Wednesday, July 10 at 9/8c on National Geographic, and streams the next day on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

The documentary is part of National Geographic’s “Sharkfest,” which kicks off July 5 and features more than 25 hours of programming dedicated to shark science and storytelling.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of National Geographic, Disney+, Hulu and this station.