Steven Spielberg opens up about film that hard launched his career

Steven Spielberg recently revealed the film that jump-started his career as a director in Hollywood despite everyone being against it.

The 78-year-old director spoke at a preview for the upcoming Jaws: The Exhibition at the Academy Museum, where he admitted that filming Jaws was a nightmare, but turned him into a household name. 

He said, “I had really no idea that the second you tempt Mother Nature and tempt fate, everything starts to conspire against you.”

Notably, the 1975 cult classic was shot on location at the Atlantic Ocean and went 100 days over schedule and millions of dollars over budget. Spielberg added, “Everybody was saying to me, ‘You are never going to get hired again.”

Jaws went on to gross over $260 million worldwide and brought the then 28-year-old filmmaker into stardom. 

The three-time Oscar winner later confessed that the production wouldn’t have been complete without the crew. “This was the ultimate example that when you work as a team, you can actually get the ball across the finish line.”

For the unversed, Steven Spielberg directed Jaws in 1975, early in his career. The story about the hunt of a great white shark, written by Peter Benchley, made history in cinema.

It went on to have four additional films in the franchise and won several awards for its thriller editing and music score.

Currently, Spielberg is preparing for his upcoming film, Flowervale Street, alongside Anne Hathaway as the leading lady. The movie is scheduled for release on August 14, 2026.

Why was Steven Spielberg rejected from film school?

Steven Spielberg was rejected from his dream film school, the University of Southern California, multiple times due to his poor academic record. He later received an honorary diploma from the university after becoming successful.

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