John D Hancock: JAWS 2 45th anniversary interview
JAWS 2 is a solid sequel. I mean seriously, how do you follow JAWS, the greatest movie ever made? Sure we see more shark, get more kills and much less Brody. It’s always good to take risks and try new things when attempting to drive a franchise forward. Few directors have succeeded. For me, James Cameron’s ALIENS (1986) is probably the greatest first-sequel ever made by a diffrerent director to the original movie.
Some of John D Hancock’s footage made it into the final cut of JAWS 2
The JAWS 2 we have (the aquatic teen slasher) wasn’t the original vision for the movie. Nor was Jeannot Szwarc the original choice of director. John D Hancock, an Oscar nominated film maker and friend of JAWS and JAWS 2 producer Richard Zanuck was originally hired to helm the next chapter of the JAWS movie franchise. John and wife Dorothy Tristan (1934 - 2023) wrote a much darker, grittier story showing a desimated Amity Island still wounded by the events of JAWS (1975) with Chief Brody battling PTSD as a result. Sadly John was fired a month into principle photography.
“It was tragic for me. A terrible blow.”
Ross from The Daily Jaws was lucky enough to speak with John in an excusive interview for the 45th anniversary of JAWS 2. The pair discuss the pressure and challenges of making a sequel to the most successful movie ever (at the time), John’s vision for a distopian Amity and his firing from the production.
John D Hancock (left) talks to Ross from The Daily Jaws
Ross from The Daily Jaws was lucky enough to speak with John in an excusive interview for the 45th anniversary of JAWS 2. The pair discuss the pressure and challenges of making a sequel to the most successful movie ever (at the time), John’s vision for a distopian Amity and his firing from the production.
Watch the interview below…
John D Hancock was interviewed by Ross Williams
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