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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The clearest documented explanation is that Steven Spielberg did not want to make a sequel. The American Film Institute (AFI) Catalog reports that he turned down Universal’s offer and, at the San Francisco Film Festival in October 1975, described making a sequel as “a cheap Carney trick.” That reported remark is the strongest direct evidence of his view, though it does not establish every private or practical factor behind his decision.
Spielberg’s reported objection to making sequels
The AFI Catalog says Spielberg declined Universal’s offer to direct Jaws 2. It relays a contemporary trade-publication account of his October 1975 comment at the San Francisco Film Festival: “making a sequel to anything is just a cheap Carney trick.” The Catalog’s account makes his objection to sequel-making the clearest documented reason for his refusal.
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It is best understood as a reported public explanation, not as proof that one remark captures all of Spielberg’s thinking. The available accounts do not establish a single private, decisive motive beyond that stated objection.
His schedule was a practical complication
A contemporary Washington Post report from June 1978 said Spielberg still had two months of post-production work on Close Encounters of the Third Kind to complete when the possibility of directing Jaws 2 was discussed. That timing helps explain the practical circumstances around the offer, but the report does not show that scheduling alone caused him to decline it. The Washington Post’s contemporary report provides that scheduling detail.
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His difficult experience on the first Jaws is context, not a proven reason
In a 2023 interview with Vanity Fair, Spielberg recalled, “Being on Jaws became a living nightmare.” He was describing the production of the original film. The interview does not directly say that the difficult shoot was why he refused to direct the sequel, so the two points should not be treated as interchangeable. Read Spielberg’s interview with Vanity Fair.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who directed Jaws 2?
Jaws 2 was released in 1978 and directed by Jeannot Szwarc. The AFI Catalog lists Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary, and Murray Hamilton among the cast. Its record of the film and Spielberg’s declined offer is available in the AFI Catalog entry for Jaws 2.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- 3 Blu Ray Set
- Blu Ray Special Features
- Jaws Includes Digital
- Includes Glossy Print 4.25 x 5.5 Inch Movie Take Art Card
Rank #3
Rank #2
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