"Jaws" Turns 50 — and It's Still the Big Fish in the Summer Blockbuster Pool

It’s been 50 years since a mechanical shark named Bruce gave us all a lifelong fear of open water, and honestly? We’re still not over it. That’s right—Jaws is officially hitting the big 5-0, and Hollywood is celebrating like it’s shark week every week.

Steven Spielberg’s toothy thriller first hit theatres in 1975, and while it only cost around $12 million to make, the Jaws franchise has now raked in roughly $800 million—not too shabby for a movie that made people scared of inflatable pool toys.

RELATED: On This Day, June 20th, 1975, “Jaws” Opened in Theatres!

This summer, the celebrations are off the (fishing) hook. There are Jaws-themed festivals, nostalgia-packed merch drops, and yes, a full-blown shark tourism boom that’s got people willingly paying to swim in cages. (Honestly, who hurt you?)

The Anniversary Festivities Include:

• NBC’s primetime broadcast of Jaws this Friday at 8 p.m. ET, with a special intro from Spielberg himself, who was only 26 when he directed the original. (And here we are, still struggling to fold a fitted sheet.)
  
• Major League Baseball games are getting in on the action, because nothing says baseball like a bloodthirsty great white. The Yankees, Phillies and Giants will host Jaws-themed nights June 20–22, complete with custom scoreboard content and giveaways.
  
• All four Jaws films are currently streaming on Peacock through July 14. Yes, even the… less iconic sequels.

And if you’re more into the “collector” lifestyle (read: you hoard niche memorabilia and call it curation), Universal just released a 50th anniversary edition in 4K, Blu-ray and digital formats.

It comes bundled with Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Story—a new documentary featuring behind-the-scenes goodies and interviews with Spielberg, John Williams, Jordan Peele and James Cameron. It’s like a support group for people emotionally scarred by shark fins.

Merch Alert: You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Wallet

Let’s talk swag. This summer, Jaws merch is flooding the market like a busted aquarium.

• For tiny fans: Big Shark, Little Boat (a cute board book about opposites, because “trauma” starts young) and an official Jaws colouring book—because nothing says “summer fun” like kids shading in a man being eaten.
  
• For grown-ups with questionable spending habits: A Jaws red wine blend (because why not pair fear with fermented grapes?), a Jaws pinball machine, and a collectible resin Dunny toy that definitely doesn’t go with your current décor but you’ll buy anyway.
  
  
• The Amity Island scented candle is $23 and supposedly smells like summer. What does that mean—sunblock? shark? existential dread?—is still unclear.

Fashion-wise, we’ve got collabs with UNIQLO, H&M, Nautica, Vineyard Vines, and Eastpak bags. So yes, you can now look cute while panicking about dorsal fins.

Even LEGO and Fisher-Price have joined the feeding frenzy with special anniversary sets—ideal for reliving your childhood nightmares in miniature plastic form.