When is JAWS set... 1974 or 1975?

The years in which movies are set isn’t usually something that causes much debate or controversary. However with the 50th anniversary just over a year away (June 2025), JAWS is under scrutiny like never before and the year Steven Spielberg’s shark classic is set is something we’ve seen debated a little more frequently. This is our examination of the clues.

50th Anniversary Regatta Billboard & Banner

On the face of it, the billboard may not give us much information about the setting of the year however it does tell us Amity Island is celbrating it’s 50th Annual Regatta, from 4th-10th July.

The same is seen on the banner hanging in the centre of town. The behind the scenes photo below shows the banner is almost word-for-word the same as the billboard, with more emphssis on 4th July. Still no year.

The year is not mentioned. This could be for a miriade of reasons:

Aesthetics. The sign may have looked a little cramped with the year added.
The year is not needed.
It dates the movie.

The Autopsy Report

The report we see Chief Brody filling in about the remains found on the beach belonging to Chrissie Watkins is the first piece of date related information we get in JAWS. The date of the incident is clearly shown to be 7-1-74 (July 1st 1974). This strongly suggests the evenys of the film take place in 1974. The report also says ‘Corner’s Office’ as opposed to ‘Coroner’s Office’ lol. So perhaps the date is also a mistake.

Olivia Newton John

The next piece of evidence that supports the 1974 theory is Olivia Newton John. Well, not ONJ herslef but her hit song ‘I Honestly Love You’. You can hear the song playing on the radio during the Alex Kintner attack sequence. The song was released in the US in August 1974. It could be argued that JAWS takes place in 1975 and song could still be playng on the radio the summer after the song’s release.

Amity Man Of The Year 1975

In JAWS 2 (1978), there is a shot of Chief Brody’s ‘Amity Man Of The Year’ award - complete with set of mini shark jaws. The award is for the year 1975. This is a puzzler and appears to cast a little shadow over the 1974 theory. All things being equal, most ‘Person of the year’ awards are usually held at the end of the year. Time Magazine announced Taylor Swift as ‘Person Of The Year 2023’ on Dec 6th of the same year. If Amity Island had done the same and awarded Brody in Dec, the award should be for 1974.

However, it could be that the award ceremony was held in 1975. It could be that the filmmakers made a mistake and went with the year the orginal movie came out.

1974 or 1975….

Witht he evidence being so scarce and appearting to be contradictory, the case could be made that JAWS is set in 1974 or 1975. For me, I think it’s set in 1974 but let me know what you think. Have I missed any evidence you think helps prove the case for 1974 or 1975? Have your say in the comments!

Words by Ross Williams

If you would like to write for The Daily Jaws, please visit our ‘work with us’ page

For all the latest Jaws, shark and shark movie news, follow The Daily Jaws on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.