Released in 1997, Anaconda is a film many would call a guilty pleasure. It’s pretty terrible, and all but ended the directing career of Luis Llosa, but it has some fun performances by Ice Cube, Jennifer Lopez, and Jon Voight as they did battle with a dodgy CGI anaconda on the Amazon River. The original film spawned a number of cheap sequels, but now THR reports that a proper star-powered remake is in the works. Frankly, it’s long overdue.
Jack Black and Paul Rudd are reportedly being eyed to star in an Anaconda reimagining. The film will be directed by Tom Gormican, known for the recent Nicolas Cage meta comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Gormican will also co-write the script with Kevin Etten.
Plot details are different this time around, but seem to fit the comedic strengths of Rudd and Black. The story is said to center on “a group of friends facing mid-life crises who are remaking their favorite movie from their youth. They head to the rainforest, only to find themselves in a fight for their lives against natural disasters, giant snakes and violent criminals.”
Rudd and Black have crossed paths many times over the years, but my favorite is when they played members of The Beatles in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, underrated gem.
The Anaconda franchise eventually became a parody of itself, as seen with the ridiculously horrible 2015 film Lake Placid vs. Anaconda, a crossover pitting giant gator vs. giant snake.
Sony Pictures announced an Anaconda remake back in 2020 with Evan Daugherty (Divergent) on the script. That version never happened, but it looks as if this one has a much better shot with Black, Rudd, and Gormican aboard.
