Steven Spielberg’s company DreamWorks is going back to Universal after a deal with Disney runs out next year and you probably don’t care. What you may care about though is the article about this deal mentions potential reboots of Back to the Future and Jaws.
The Hollywood Reporter article says the following when talking about Universal’s current relationship with the director. “Sources say Spielberg commanded his rich director’s fee for Jurassic World — a percentage of profit worth tens of millions of dollars — from which he then paid helmer Colin Trevorrow. He also is key on potential reboots of other Universal franchises such as Jaws and Back to the Future.”
Why mention those two movies at all unless they were in discussions? Well, obviously they’re both Universal movies. Spielberg directed Jaws and executive produced Back to the Future. And Universal would certainly love to release new movies with those unbelievably iconic brands. However, to do so, they’d absolutely need Spielberg’s approval. The mention basically sounds like the company has been thinking about those projects, knows they’re a long shot, and just wants to make Spielberg happy so maybe he signs off down the road.
However, the odds of Spielberg touching two of the seminal films of the blockbuster era seems unlikely. Back to the Future director Robert Zemeckis recently said he wouldn’t let a Back to the Future remake happen as long as he’s alive, and even then, he’d make sure his estate tried to stop it.
Spielberg has admitted he’s thought about a Jaws follow-up, but doesn’t think it’s realistic. A few years back, Spielberg gave an interview where he said he’s always had an idea for a scene he wanted to put in a Jaws sequel but never did:
I have a very, very good scene which I thought would have been good for a sequel someday, which I will tell you someday because I don’t want it in print. But I’ll tell you my scene some day. Every time I think of this scene I think, “Hmmm, could this be another Jaws movie?” and I have to immediately stop myself and immediately pull myself back down to Earth.
That certainly sounds like he doesn’t want to do it but, it also proves he’s thought about it.
Let’s all cross our fingers neither of these projects ever happen, but it’s still scary that they’re being considered.