The creation of a new poster for the 50th anniversary of “Jaws” presented a important challenge, largely due to the enduring legacy of Roger Kastel‘s original artwork. This iconic poster has cast a long shadow, making it tough for subsequent designs to stand out. Furthermore, Mondo, known for its artists’ previous interpretations of “Jaws,” faced the task of producing a new design that would be fitting for the film’s milestone anniversary.
Despite these hurdles, artist Danny Haas appears to have met the challenge with his new design. The artwork depicts a colossal Bruce, the shark, emerging from the ocean to confront the much smaller Orca. According to Santa-Maria, the commission of this piece was guided by two primary objectives: to be both “classic and contemporary.”
Santa-Maria elaborated on the process, stating, “Roger Kastel’s original artwork for the classic Jaws poster is so iconic and influential that it felt wrong to not refer to it for the 50th anniversary.The spirit at Mondo is about creating original interpretations of these classic films and franchises but always acknowledging that we are standing on the shoulders of giants when we do. This was a daunting task, but I knew that turning to my friend and storied artist, Danny Haas was the right move as his style is built on strong composition and striking color palettes that allow the subject matter to take center stage. All I asked was that he create something that felt classic and contemporary (easy enough, right?). Danny created a lovely piece that is a nod back to the original where the shark is preparing to breach the surface of the water but in this case, he already has! AND his stylistic use of scale reflects the enormity of the task shared by the Orca’s crew; I couldn’t be prouder of it.”
In related “Jaws” news, the film was recently re-released as a 50th anniversary 4K steelbook set. Additionally, “Jaws” is featured on IGN’s list of the Top 25 horror movies of all time.
Jesse, a staff writer for IGN, can be followed on BlueSky at @jschedeen.
