From Jaws to Jurassic Park: The Spin-Offs That Became Legendary
Some films are best left alone. Others get so big that Hollywood just can't stop coming back for more with remakes, video games, theme park rides, trading cards and, yes, online slots all in the mix. Jaws and Jurassic Park are but two cracking examples with both starting out as big-screen hits and ending up becoming much bigger than anyone could have imagined.
Jaws Keeps Coming Back
Although it triggered trauma for a generation of beachgoers, Spielberg's 1975 Jaws was a blockbuster hit. Following its success, the first sequel, Jaws 2, came out in 1978, followed by Jaws 3-D in 1983 and Jaws: The Revenge in 1987. Admittedly, the later films didn’t do as well as the original, but the shark had already earned its iconic status.
In addition to the sequels, Jaws made its way into the market. With the help of Jaws trading cards, toys, posters, and different memorabilia, people kept remembering the film. Several re-releases helped the movie to stay in cinemas while new generations found out about the Jaws.
And here's where things get interesting for gaming fans. Big-screen favourites have found their way into online casino entertainment, too, top online slots games like these are hard to find if you're after a particular film, but licensed titles based on familiar franchises do exist. Jurassic Park has inspired slot games, while Iron Man and X-Men have also made the jump from cinema and comics to the reels. It's another way for these big franchises to keep turning up in places you might not expect.
Dinosaurs, Sharks and Gaming Spin-Offs
When Jurassic Park hit the silver screen in 1993, dinosaurs suddenly became the coolest things on the planet again. The special effects were something else, and the basic idea was brilliant. Build a theme park packed full of killing machines with brains the size of a pea, throw in a bunch of tourists, and hope the fences hold, what could possibly go wrong?
The Shark Never Really Leaves
Of course, Jaws isn't the only shark story to stick around. Deep Blue Sea brought genetically engineered sharks into the mix in 1999, while the Sharknado films went completely over the top, sending flying sharks into a string of increasingly ridiculous situations. Neither took the same approach as Spielberg's original, but both showed that shark movies can keep finding new audiences.
The Shallows went for a more stripped-back survival story, while The Meg decided that an enormous prehistoric shark was just the ticket. Subtle? Not particularly. Entertaining? That's another matter.
From the Big Screen to the Reels
The long-lasting popularity of these franchises is their true success. Jaws still convinces audiences that sharks are the most terrifying animals on Earth, Jurassic Park brings back dinosaur enthusiasts for more, along with the many games and products they inspired .
And who knows what comes next? Another remake, another game, another trip to the slot reels? With these franchises, you wouldn't bet against it.