Jaws (1975) - Final Draft Screenplay - Universal Studios

Jaws (1974) Movie Script (Copy)

Final Draft Screenplay April 3, 1974
Complete screenplay including 113 pages
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Screenplay by Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb

"Jaws" is the groundbreaking 1975 American thriller directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the bestselling novel by Peter Benchley. The film stars Roy Scheider as Police Chief Martin Brody, who teams with a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a seasoned shark hunter (Robert Shaw) to confront a deadly great white shark terrorizing a summer resort town. Murray Hamilton and Lorraine Gary round out the principal cast. The screenplay is credited to Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb, whose revisions during production helped shape the film’s sharp dialogue and unforgettable character dynamics.

Filmed primarily on location in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, the production became legendary for its technical challenges, including repeated mechanical shark malfunctions that forced Spielberg to rely on suspense rather than spectacle. This creative decision — enhanced by John Williams’ iconic, minimalist score — resulted in a masterclass in tension, often compared to the psychological techniques of Alfred Hitchcock.

Released by Universal Pictures in an unprecedented wide rollout supported by a major television marketing campaign, "Jaws" became the first true summer blockbuster and forever changed the film industry.

For collectors represents a landmark piece of cinema history — a tangible connection to the film that redefined suspense, launched the blockbuster era, and established Steven Spielberg as one of the most influential directors of all time.

Did you know?

Our scripts come directly from the USA. They are easy to recognize because they have the standard U.S. paper size. Typically, people use A4-sized paper (297mm in height) to make fan copies of scripts. This paper size is not used in the United States; they use letter-sized paper (279mm in height). This is noticeable because this scripts usually have black lines at the top and bottom, showing that the original paper size used to copy (any American script) is smaller than A4.

Also, our scripts have been preserved under the strictest climate control standards in HVAC-R conditions, both during storage and throughout the packaging process. As a result, a label is applied after sealing them, as shown in the photos. They are bound in the same way that vault copies of scripts are preserved, without any oxidizable materials that could damage the paper. They are carefully packed in bubble wrap and placed in a cardboard box to ensure they arrive in the best possible condition.