Steven Spielberg’s first major blockbuster film, released in 1975, was Jaws. The thriller follows police chief Martin Brody, marine biologist Matt Hooper, and shark hunter Quint as they pursue a great white shark terrorizing the fictional resort town of Amity Island.
Jaws was adapted from Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel and starred Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss. Production was famously difficult: mechanical shark problems and weather delays pushed the film over schedule and budget, but the limitations helped Spielberg build suspense by keeping the shark offscreen for long stretches.
The film became a turning point in Hollywood. Its wide release, heavy television advertising, and summer launch helped establish the modern blockbuster model. Jaws eventually became the highest-grossing film in history until Star Wars surpassed it in 1977.
It is sometimes confused with Spielberg’s later blockbuster successes, such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Jurassic Park. Those films cemented his reputation, but Jaws was the breakthrough that first made him a major Hollywood director.