The History of Bruce The Shark

There have been dozens of famous movie sharks over the years but none would reach the iconic status and lasting impact of Bruce The Shark.

Today, to celebrate a shark-filled week (trademark free) we are taking you through the history of Bruce The Shark, both the Jaws and Finding Nemo versions, and how one would inspire the other in multiple ways.

Bruce was the shark from Jaws, the film that created the modern idea of the movie shark, but he is most famous for being unseen, with the suspense leading up to each attack and his actual reveal late in the movie.

He would appear throughout the finale of the film after going unseen through multiple attacks and end up starting a franchise of four films, although the first is really the only one to reach iconic status.

Named after the lawyer of director Steven Spielberg, the nickname for the animatronic shark would become synonymous with the shark himself when discussed by fans of the film, even if he was never officially given a name.

This shark and movie formed the basis for the entire sub-genre of shark-themed horror movies.

The name Bruce would later inspire a Pixar character, also a great white shark, in the film Finding Nemo, who was inspired by the great movie sharks of the past, becoming the second famous film shark named Bruce. He would be different from his Jaws counterpart, portrayed as a nice shark, unless he smells blood, then he becomes a mindless eating machine.

Both Bruces would find their way into theme parks.

The Jaws Bruce The Shark would end up having his own ride in Universal Orlando and Japan, and still has an effects stop on the studio tour in Universal Hollywood.

The Pixar Bruce The Shark found his way into many different theme parks.

In Disneyland, he is one of the numerous characters featured in Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.

In Epcot, you can find him lurking amid submarine wreckage in The Seas With Nemo and Friends.

You can also find him in Crush's Coaster in Walt Disney Studios in Paris.

Finally, you can find a musical Bruce in Finding Nemo The Musical in Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Both Bruces became iconic in their own right, and are still popular characters to this day.