JAWS 50th Anniversary Exhibition (Los Angeles) Episode 326 Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is widely considered the first summer blockbuster, a term it helped create. The release of Jaws in the summer of 1975, coupled with a massive advertising campaign and wide release, made it a cultural phenomenon and the first film to gross over $100 million at the U.S. box office. This success fundamentally changed Hollywood's approach to movie releases, establishing the summer as the prime season for big-budget films. The suspenseful thriller, adapted from the novel by Peter Benchley, is centered on three main characters (Brody, Hooper, and Quint) who hunt a great white shark menacing the seaside New England town of Amity Island. The Jaws Exhibition at the Academy Museum is a chronological, multi-gallery experience that uses props, costumes, photos, and interactive elements to explore the making of the 1975 blockbuster and is a fitting tribute for the film’s 50th anniversary. Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio