Happy 50th Birthday, ‘Jaws’: I’m Geeked I Can Binge All 4 Movies in 1 Place This Summer

It may be hard to believe, but Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is turning 50 (the movie premiered on June 20, 1975). The low-budget thriller, which was adapted from Peter Benchley’s novel, leaned heavily into Hitchcock and grindhouse territory and became the first summer blockbuster. It told a simple, yet terrifying story about a vengeful shark and the tourist beach town of Amity Island it would relentlessly terrorize. 

Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw lead the cast as police chief Martin Brody, Matt Hooper and grizzled shark hunter Quint, respectively, the core trio tasked with capturing and killing the water-dwelling monster. It immediately tapped into the pop culture lexicon thanks to John Williams’ iconic theme music and Spielberg’s less-is-more approach (mainly because that shark kept malfunctioning). 

I remember seeing Jaws as a kid at the local theater. I’m almost exactly one year younger than the movie, but there was this delightful trend in the ’80s where cinemas would revisit these incredible movies year after year so fans, young and old, could relive the glory. I was immediately hooked on the scope, soundtrack and cinematic terror of the whole thing. Soon after, a ride on the tram at Universal Studios through the Amity Island set cemented my newfound fear/fascination with great white sharks. Five decades later, the legacy of Jaws has endured. 

I have this tradition where I do a Jaws marathon just before the summer season. Of course, the first is still the best but there’s something comforting about seeing Brody return for Jaws 2 to battle another shark threat. As for Jaws: 3-D and Jaws: The Revenge, there’s certainly a place for them here, even if the plotlines don’t connect as well as the original film. Sometimes you just want to see a revenge-hungry shark pick off unsuspecting people, one by one. 

That banana boat rider never had a chance.

Read more: Peacock Review: Few Originals, but Cheap Access to Network TV, Movies May Grab You

How to watch ‘Jaws’ parts 1-4 

Beginning on Sunday, June 15, you can watch every installment in the Jaws franchise on Peacock. This includes the 1975 classic, Jaws 2 (1978), Jaws 3-D (1983) and Jaws: The Revenge (1987).

If you want to get in on all the shark action, you’ll need a Peacock subscription. The streamer has two separate subscription tiers to choose from: Premium (with ads) costs $8 a month or $80 a year and Premium Plus costs $14 a month or $140 per year. With Premium Plus, you’ll have the perk of being able to download titles for offline viewing and access to your local NBC channel.

Peacock/CNET

Saving money is always cool and there are some options if you want to keep within your budget. Students and customers of Xfinity Internet and Instacart Plus can get some cool discounts. It may seem like a lot in the long term but if you choose to pay for the entire year of Premium or Premium Plus, you’ll pay less compared to the streamer’s monthly cost. For more information, head on over to our review.

Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider and Robert Shaw go shark-hunting in Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic Jaws.

Universal Studios/Getty Images

How to watch all the Jaws movies with a VPN

If you’re traveling abroad and want to keep up with your favorite shows while away from home, a VPN can help enhance your privacy and security when streaming. It encrypts your traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speeds and can also be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling, adding an extra layer of protection for your devices and logins.

VPNs are legal in many countries, including the US and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security. However, some streaming services may have policies restricting VPN use to access region-specific content. If you’re considering a VPN for streaming, check the platform’s terms of service to ensure compliance.

If you choose to use a VPN, follow the provider’s installation instructions, ensuring you’re connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements. Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected so verifying if your streaming subscription allows VPN use is crucial.

James Martin/CNET

ExpressVPN is our current pick for the most secure and reliable VPN service. It’s fast, works across multiple devices and offers stable streams. ExpressVPN is normally $13 a month but you can save money with an annual plan. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Read our review of ExpressVPN.