How Jaws 3 Became a National Lampoon Parody (Epic Universal Podcast Ep. 61)

Universal Park News and Updates

• 🎶 A concert special for "Wicked: Part Two" will air in November, featuring a two-hour event at LA's Dolby Theater, broadcast on NBC and streaming on Peacock.
• 🧸 Toys for "Wicked" have begun to surface, including a Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard figure, potentially spoiling aspects of the film.
• ✈️ Jimmy Buffett's plane, the "Hemisphere Dancer," has been reinstalled at Universal Orlando's Lone Palm Airport bar after restoration, marking its return to CityWalk.
• 💺 Starfall Racers at Epic Universe is adding larger seats to accommodate guests of size, a modification made after the park's opening.
• 💄 The Monster Makeup Experience at Epic Universe has received new, prominent signage, with its success still being closely monitored.

The Jaws Franchise's Evolution

• 🦈 Steven Spielberg, traumatized by the making of "Jaws," only recently rewatched the film and was unavailable to direct "Jaws 2" due to his commitment to "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."
• 💡 Spielberg proposed a "Jaws" sequel focusing on a baby megalodon, but the idea was deemed too expensive and potentially a prequel, leading to its rejection by producers.
• 🎬 "Jaws 2" faced significant production issues, resulting in director John D. Hancock's firing and a shutdown before Janusz Kaminski took over.
• 🚢 The "Jaws 2" novelization included a scene where the mother shark gives birth to two pups before dying, hinting at future sequels.
• 🎢 The original "Jaws" ride at Universal Studios Florida, which ended with the shark exploding, was retooled after a short operational period and reopened with a finale mirroring the shark's electrocution death from "Jaws 2."

The "Jaws 3, People Nothing" Concept

• 🎭 A potential "Jaws" sequel, "Jaws 3, People Nothing," was conceived as a National Lampoon-style parody, inspired by the success of "Animal House."
• ✍️ John Hughes worked on screenplays for the parody, which was envisioned as an R-rated comedy, contrasting with producers' desire for a PG rating.
• 🚫 The project stalled due to disagreements over the film's rating (PG vs. R) and Universal's concern that a parody would undermine the franchise's potential for future serious installments.
• 🎬 Joe Dante was initially slated to direct the "Jaws 3, People Nothing" project before it was ultimately shelved.