The Film and Film Academy announced Thursday that the original shark used in the sea teeth had been “completely transformed”. The only details that are waiting to be added are the eyes and teeth.

Nicknamed “Bruce,” this piece is the only surviving shark prop of Steven Spielberg‘s 1975 classic, which tells the story of a water-killing machine that terrorizes a New England tourist town.

It is common knowledge that the creators of the shark have encountered difficulties in production, most of them related to the constant malfunction of the mechanical shark.

“Just in time for #Jaws’ (1975) 44th Anniversary … An Update on Bruce’s Shark Restoration!” Special effects legend @G_Nicotero, his studio KNB EFX and the #AcademyMuseum conservation team have completely transformed this underwater giant “the Academy Museum tweeted.

The shark was bequeathed to the Museum in 2016 by Nathan Adlen, whose father, Sam, bought the prop after the workshop removed “Bruce” and a bunch of old stunt cars. Sam Adlen would expose the jaw shark to his scrap.

The restored shark, a fiberglass model, is the fourth and latest version made from the original mold, according to the museum.

Nevertheless, it will be a long time before any fan can see “Bruce” in person.

It was also announced Thursday that the Film Academy Museum would not open in 2019 or before the 92nd Academy Awards on February 9, 2020.

The project was announced for the first time in 2012.

 

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Happy birthday JAWS!!!! Honored to restore the last original casting from the original molds for the soon to open @academymuseum we have spent the last 4 months restoring this piece to go on display utilizing original teeth and consulting with production designer Joe Alves and several original effects techs Cal Accord, Kevin Pike and Toy Arbogast. An honor to work with these brilliant artists and the folks at KNB working feverishly @knb_efx

A post shared by Greg Nicotero (@gnicotero) on Jun 20, 2019 at 5:19pm PDT

 

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“How I spent my Summer Vacation” or in my world the 12 days between CREEPSHOW and season 10 of THE WALKING DEAD…sculpting the interior of the mouth for the JAWS restoration project for @academymuseum. Really wanted to walk in the footsteps of the Fx guys that paved the way for so many of us by doing some work on “Bruce”. The 12 year old me just shit himself #jaws

A post shared by Greg Nicotero (@gnicotero) on Apr 22, 2019 at 8:03pm PDT

Just in time for the 44th anniversary of #Jaws (1975)…?
An update on Bruce the shark’s restoration! Special effects legend @G_Nicotero, his studio KNB EFX, and the #AcademyMuseum conservation team have fully transformed this undersea giant.
Photos by Greg Nicotero. pic.twitter.com/np2SEzPkld

— Academy Museum of Motion Pictures (@AcademyMuseum) 2019. június 20.

Source: MovieWeb