Would Jaws: The Revenge Have Worked With Chief Brody In The Lead?

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Jaws: The Revenge is considered to be one of the worst sequels ever produced, but would it have worked any better if Roy Scheider's Chief Brody was the lead? The original Jaws was a landmark success upon release in 1975 and is considered a classic blockbuster. It was also produced during an era in Hollywood where sequels were relatively rare, and seen as somewhat tacky. Outside of some exceptions like the Planet Of The Apes series, follow-ups were few and far between.

This didn't stop Universal from giving a greenlight to Jaws 2 and while this 1978 sequel didn't receive either the acclaim or box office of the original, it was still a sizable hit. Jaws 3D  — which features the infamous 3D glass effect — arrived in 1983, making use of a short-lived revival of the format and lacking any returning cast. It was still a success, though its grosses were noticeably down from the first two entries and it received horrid reviews. It also appeared to kill the series as there was little appetite for further movies, but following a period of bombs for Universal, another sequel initially dubbed Jaws '87 was rushed into development.

Related: Jaws 4’s Genius Cancelled Plans

Universal head Sid Sheinberg was the one who felt Jaws: The Revenge was another guaranteed hit. He scrapped a different Jaws 4 screenplay that was being developed that involved surfer punks fighting a megalodon, and felt the sequel needed returning cast and characters. Roy Scheider played Amity Chief Martin Brody in the first two movies, but after a miserable filming experience on Jaws 2, he refused more sequels. Universal tried to lure Scheider back for a well-paid cameo in Jaws: The Revenge where Brody would have been killed in the opening, but the actor passed on