What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedJaws
Peter Benchley · Book · 1974
If you loved Jaws, start with Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Jaws across media.
If Jaws hooked you, it is because you crave that visceral tension when nature or mystery invades a quiet, unsuspecting community.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Jaws
Steven Spielberg · Film · 1975
Inspired by
Stranger Things
Ross Duffer · Series · 2016
Films on the same thread
The Birds
Alfred Hitchcock · Film · 1963
Shares a thread with Jaws: Creature Feature.
Much like Jaws, this film masterfully builds terror through an relentless environmental threat that turns a peaceful seaside town into a site of absolute panic and survival.
Star Wars
George Lucas · Film · 1977
Explores: Good vs Evil, Rebellion, The Force.
If Jaws hit, Star Wars shares the thread.
The Shallows
Film · 2016
Shares 2 threads with Jaws: Creature Feature, Man vs. Nature.
This film strips away the ensemble cast of Jaws to focus entirely on the primal, isolated struggle against a predatory force in the unforgiving open water.
Halloween
John Carpenter · Film · 1978
Explores: Good vs Evil, The Boogeyman, Small Town Horror.
If Jaws hit, Halloween shares the thread.
Series on the same thread
Game of Thrones
David Benioff · Series · 2011
Explores: Power Struggles, Moral Ambiguity, War and Politics.
If Jaws hit, Game of Thrones shares the thread.
Twin Peaks
Mark Frost · Series · 1990
Shares a thread with Jaws: Small Town Secrets.
If the small-town secrets of Jaws kept you turning pages, you will appreciate how this mystery peels back the dark, unsettling layers of a seemingly quiet community.
Lost
Jeffrey Lieber · Series · 2004
Explores: Survival, Secrets, Moral Ambiguity.
If Jaws hit, Lost shares the thread.
Cheers
Les Charles · Series · 1982
Explores: Friendship, Community, Finding your place.
If Jaws hit, Cheers shares the thread.
Podcasts on the same thread
S-Town
Serial Productions · Podcast · 2024
Explores: small-town isolation, eccentricity, social decay.
This podcast mirrors the small-town claustrophobia found in Jaws, diving deep into the eccentricities and hidden rot that exist just beneath the surface of a secluded location.
Tooth & Claw: True Stories of Animal Attacks
Wes Larson, Jeff Larson, Mike Smith | Daylight Media · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Human-wildlife conflict, Apex predators, Biological survival.
This show provides the scientific reality behind the apex predator terror of Jaws, offering a gripping look at the human-wildlife conflicts that fuel our deepest primal fears.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Should I read the Jaws book before watching the 1975 movie?
You can choose either order as both the 1974 novel by Peter Benchley and the 1975 film adaptation tell the story of a great white shark terrorizing a resort town. The book provides the original source material that inspired the classic movie.
Is Jaws based on a true story?
The novel Jaws was not based on a single true story, but it grew out of Peter Benchley's interest in shark attacks. He was specifically inspired by the exploits of Montauk, New York shark fisherman Frank Mundus, whom he learned about in 1964.
What is the connection between Jaws and Stranger Things?
While Stranger Things is a television series and Jaws is a novel and film, both titles are often linked by fans of suspenseful storytelling. The creators of Stranger Things have frequently cited Jaws as a major influence on the atmosphere and tension found within their show.
How long has the Jaws story been around?
The Jaws story has been around since 1974, when Peter Benchley published the original novel. The story gained further prominence shortly after with the release of the 1975 film adaptation, which depicted the voyage of three men attempting to kill a great white shark.