by Thinus Ferreira
National Geographic (DStv DStv 181 / StarSat 220) has commissioned a Jaws at 50 feature film that will debut in 2025 for the yellow frame's Sharkfest, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Steven Spielberg blockbuster.
National Geographic is working with Steven Spielberg's Amblin Documentaries and Nedland Media to create the documentary, with Laurent Bouzereau from Nedland Media who is the director. Ted Duvall is the executive producer for National Geographic.
Jaws at 50 will include archive footage and photography from the Steven Spielberg archives, as well as from novelist Peter Benchley, together with new interviews that will include experts from the world of ocean conservation.
Jaws at 50 will primarily look at Peter Benchley's writing of the book, the chaotic production behind-the-scenes of the film which went over budget and over schedule, the notoriously difficult mechanical sharks which malfunctioned and broke, as well as the adverse weather conditions, seasickness and other on-location tumult that impacted the making of Jaws.
Besides the "making of"-aspect, Jaws at 50 will also look at the world and impact of sharks today, through testimonials from people who have dedicated their lives to studying and safeguarding sharks and our seas.
National Geographic says Jaws at 50 "will capture our endless fascination with sharks and the changing dialogue about these awe-inspiring creatures" and will be broadcast on the National Geographic channel and be available on Disney+ during 2025's Sharkfest event.
"National Geographic has celebrated sharks for over two decades with our annual summer event Sharkfest, so we naturally jumped at the chance to partner with Amblin Documentaries and Nedland Media on Jaws at 50," says Janet Vissering, senior vice president for production and development at National Geographic, in a press release.
"Jaws not only became a massive pop culture phenomenon, but the initial fear it elicited propelled the world's fascination with sharks, opening the door to our understanding of these apex predators and stressing the urgency in protecting our oceans."
Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey, the presidents of Amblin Documentaries and Amblin Television, say "Jaws, the novel by Peter Benchley and the film by Steven Spielberg, defined both popular literature and cinema".
"The idea of diving into the past, present and future legacy of Jaws, combined with an informed and inspiring discussion about sharks and the ocean in one documentary, is a unique opportunity to explore the perfect union between art and science."
