HOW JAWS PASSED ON THE BOX OFFICE RECORD BATON TO STAR WARS

For over two years Jaws was the all-time apex predator at the US box office, and since its release on June 20, 1975 had been seen be some 67 million people in the US alone.

The Steven Spielberg shark classic was knocked off its top spot by the force of Star Wars, which was directed by Spielberg's good friend George Lucas.

Taking it with good grace Spielberg took out a full-page advert in Variety congratulating George on his success.

The advert depicted the Roger Kastel shark from the iconic Jaws poster being hooked on a fishing line being wielded by R2D2, clearly honing the skills he'd come to use in the swamps of Dagobah.

Lucas almost became a 'victim' of Bruce himself when visiting the set of Jaws in 1974, as he reportedly got his head stuck in the mouth of the mechanical shark, the mouth pulled shut by Spielberg as a prank.

And if it wasn't for Lucas then Richard Dreyfuss may have never been cast, as it was he who recommended the young actor after working with him on American Graffiti. That film was also co-edited by Verna Fields, who would weave her Oscar-winning magic on Jaws.

Spielberg and Lucas would go on to work together on the Indiana Jones series of films, kicking off with Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981, which boasted the Jaws and Star Wars connections of the two filmmakers, which coupled with that poster design couldn't have been anything but an exciting prospect.

From the creators of Jaws and Star Wars, boomed the poster proudly. And that's some bad hat, Harrison.

Just one year later and George Lucas was taking out an advert to congratulate Steven Spielberg and his film that surpassed Star Wars, all he needed was some extra terrestrial help.

Words by Dean Newman

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