When I heard that Anaconda was being remade with none other than Paul Rudd and Jack Black in the cast, I didn’t know what to expect. However, I can safely say I didn’t expect the angle shown today, in the project’s first trailer – which is the greatest compliment I can pay. While I’ve only seen the previous film once, director/co-writer Tom Gormican’s survival comedy spin has me invested in how this plays out.
ANACONDA
Rather than a legitimate reimagining of Sony’s 1997 creature feature, the new Anaconda is a story about friendship, cinema, and trying to avoid nature’s wrath. See for yourself, courtesy of the first trailer below:
I’m kind of kicking myself for not putting Anaconda on the 2025 fall movie watchlist, because it has a formula that looks extremely promising. As Doug (Jack Black) and Griff (Paul Rudd) embark on a mission to remake one of their favorite B-movies from childhood, the best description I can think of is “Tropic Thunder meets King Kong.”
That’s not just because Jack Black was in both, but it does help cement the premise a bit more, returning him to familiar ground. Another factor of optimism is thanks to this flick having a professional wrecking crew that’s headed up by Paul Rudd and Jack Black, and also includes Steve Zahn and Thandiwe Newton.
Those four actors make up our base crew for Anaconda’s slithering shenanigans, and that’s enough for me to pack my bag and board a boat to the Amazon. (Or wherever they’re filming to stand in for that locale.) If you’re ready to head into danger with a smile on your face, then you can catch this dangerous trek into a cinematic passion project when it opens on Christmas Day.
And if you’re an Anaconda purist, the Jennifer Lopez/Ice Cube starring classic is currently available to stream through a Netflix subscription. I think it’s safe to say you won’t be spoiling anything by watching it, but you never know.
That Hashtag Show
