10 Horror Movies That Changed Their Franchise

Away from the obvious switch-up to incorporate 3D, Jaws 3-D was notable for taking the focus off Roy Scheider's Martin Brody. In fact, Brody isn't even featured in the film whatsoever.

This marked a stark change of direction for the franchise, with Jaws 3-D and Jaws: The Revenge both having a Martin-shaped hole. Going one step further than its predecessor, though, The Revenge would actually note how Brody had died from a heart attack in the time since Jaws 3-D. Instead, these third and fourth features focussed on other Brody family members; Jaws 3-D seeing the Brody sons Michael and Sean in the spotlight, and Jaws: The Revenge centreing on Martin's wife Ellen, and Michael and his own family.

Given how pivotal Roy Scheider's excellent performances were to Jaws and the hugely underappreciated Jaws 2, the actor's absence was always going to leave a mark. So synonymous was Chief Brody with the Jaws property, any movie lacking his presence would feel like a shell of those first two films - and that was indeed the case.

Of course, in reality, Scheider himself refused to return for either Jaws 3-D or Jaws: The Revenge, and he was only involved with Jaws 2 due to a contract dispute with Universal.