Why JAWS 5 may never happen

The merits and possibilities of a JAWS remake, reboot, prequel and everything in between have been debated and argued for years. In 2020, The Daily Jaws took steps and produced and directed the JAWS WeMake, a fun lockdown project that brought fans of the movie together in a DIY recreation of Steven Spielberg’s shark classic.

However, is a fourth sequel to the 1975 Carcharodon clacsic totally out of the question? Looking at the evidence below, we believe JAWS 5 is almost certain to never happpen. Here’s why…

Lack of interest

JAWS: The Revenge (1987), was critically panned and did not perform well at the box office. As a result, there may not be enough interest in making another film in the franchise.

Gone but not forgotten

The author of the original novel, Peter Benchley, producers Richard Zanuck & David Brown as well as stars Roy Scheider and Robert Shaw have all passed away. Without their involvement, it may be challenging to create a compelling and authentic continuation of the story.

Hooper no more

Richard Dreyfuss has publicly said he will never play Matt Hooper again. He did play a small homage to his character in Phirana 3D (2010).

Legal issues

There may be legal issues preventing the creation of a new Jaws film, such as copyright or ownership disputes.

Changing audience preferences

Audiences' tastes and preferences have changed since the first Jaws movie was released in 1975. It may be challenging to create a new Jaws film that resonates with modern audiences and stands out in a crowded market.

Lack of source material

The original Jaws novel only covers the events of the first film. There is no source material for any potential sequels, which means that a new story would have to be developed entirely from scratch.

Sharks

The JAWS franchise has been criticized for its portrayal of sharks and the impact it had on public perception of these animals. Since the release of the original JAWS, our knowledge and attitudes towards sharks has changed to much more positive position.

Lightning in a bottle

The original JAWS had so many things go right - a genius director working with a brilliant script, performed by argualbly the greatest trio of lead actors ever cast. All of these tings came together to result in one of the greatest movies ever made. Trying to replicate this success would be impossible, likely leading to instant comparisons and deeming a fourth sequel an unnecessary exercise in futility.

While it is not impossible for a Jaws 5 to be made, the factors mentioned above make it seem unlikely that it will happen.

Words by Ross Williams

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