In 2026, acclaimed filmmaker Steven Soderbergh will unveil his reimagined work on the classic 1975 film Jaws, shifting from a traditional book format to an interactive app. This move reflects a unique way of exploring the filmmaking process behind Steven Spielberg’s thriller, promising fans an immersive experience that details each day of the movie’s production. The Steven Soderbergh Jaws app aims to provide a fresh look at one of cinema’s most influential films.
App Offers Deep Dive into Filmmaking with Detailed Visuals and Commentary
According to Soderbergh, the app format emerged as a natural extension of the original book, allowing users to navigate through a shot-by-shot breakdown of the entire shooting schedule.
“Well, it’s done, and it was a book, but now it’s an app,”
he said.
“Because I’ve reconstructed every day of shooting, so you’re going to be able to scroll through the app and see screen grabs of every shot they got that day, so you can really see him building the movie piece by piece. And then there’s 25,000 words of me talking about the film. That’s the part I’ve been working on for a long time.”
The app approach emphasizes the visual and technical crafting behind filmmaking, combining still images, camera movements, and detailed analysis. Fans will get a rare chance to explore how Spielberg meticulously constructed a suspense classic, accompanied by Soderbergh’s insights into directorial choices and filmmaking techniques. This innovative use of digital media follows Soderbergh’s previous experimentation with app storytelling, such as his 2018 project Mosaic.
From General Directing Guide to Focused Exploration of ‘Jaws’
Soderbergh’s project initially began as a broader book about directing, but it evolved into a focused account of the making of Jaws.
“It started out as a book about directing in general, and then became a book about the shooting of ‘Jaws,’ which allows me to digress whenever I want to, to talk about directing in general,”
he explained. The current stage involves refining the app interface, as he awaits a beta version to review. The filmmaker emphasized his personal connection with the film, saying,
“I would have chosen it for this regardless, because it was the movie that made me want to make movies. Before I saw that film, a movie was something you went to see and be entertained by, and as soon as I got out of that film, movies were something you could do. I was switched on, and I think that movie fulfilled that function for a lot of young filmmakers.”
Potential Dual Release: App and Book Formats
Although the app is the current focus, hints suggest a traditional book may also accompany the project at some point. In a recent Letterboxd interview, Soderbergh addressed the upcoming publication, saying,
“Absolutely, which is why I wrote a [soon-to-be-published] book [about ‘Jaws’], to walk people through it in maddening detail.”
This dual approach aims to cater to different audience preferences while preserving the depth of Soderbergh’s examination of Spielberg’s work. He positioned the project as both a personal tribute and a detailed study, acknowledging that Spielberg’s film
“occupies a gigantic chunk of ‘influence’ real estate for me,”
and the book/app will meticulously dissect that impact.
Personal Impact of ‘Jaws’ on Soderbergh’s Career
Soderbergh shared a poignant story about the emotional timing of his first viewing of Jaws, underscoring the film’s lasting significance in shaping his artistic path.
“I was lucky because I saw it for the first time a couple of weeks after my, to that point, lifelong dream and ambition of being a professional baseball player died,”
he recalled.
“And as a kid who had a somewhat obsessive personality, I was bereft. I was in a place where I was really open to something reaching in and becoming a new obsession. So, in that theater in St. Petersburg, that summer where I’d been shipped off to see my grandparents and cousins and aunts and uncles, I got transformed. And it turned out to be lucky that it was that movie because to this day, you know, I can point out the things in almost anything I’ve made and trace it back to something that was in that film.”
Anticipation Builds for Release and Further Details
As 2026 approaches, anticipation grows for the release of the Steven Soderbergh Jaws app, with both the interactive digital version and possibly a traditional book version expected to offer audiences an unprecedented exploration of filmmaking history. This project not only underscores Spielberg’s enduring influence on contemporary directors but also highlights Soderbergh’s commitment to innovative storytelling formats. Fans and cinema enthusiasts alike can look forward to a multifaceted dive into the creation of a landmark film that transformed Hollywood suspense.
Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Seen, Read 2025’ diary reveals of "Production 02074," which is his long-awaited book on Steven Spielberg's 'JAWS.' https://t.co/SQkGDUKOlS pic.twitter.com/DdR5tAS2TI
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