Jack Black and Paul Rudd to Star in ‘Anaconda’ Reboot

Jack Black and Paul Rudd are venturing into the Amazon. The duo is reportedly in discussions to star in a reboot of the 1997 cult classic Anaconda, with Tom Gormican directing. Gormican, known for The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, is also co-writing the screenplay alongside Kevin Etten.

The original Anaconda film, directed by Luis Llosa, followed a National Geographic film crew on a quest to document the world’s largest and deadliest snake. Unfortunately for the crew, they become the hunted rather than the hunters. The movie featured notable stars such as Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson, Ice Cube, and Jon Voight.

While Anaconda didn’t achieve massive box office success, it garnered a cult following. This popularity led to a series of sequels, including the theatrical release Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid in 2004 and several television movies: Anaconda 3: Offspring (2008), Anacondas: Trail of Blood (2009), and Lake Placid vs. Anaconda (2015), which was a crossover with the Lake Placid series. There’s even a 2024 Chinese remake titled Anaconda (2024) directed by Xiang Qui Liang and Xiang He Sheng.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the plot of the new film centers around a group of friends facing mid-life crises who decide to remake their favorite movie from their youth. Their journey to the rainforest transforms into a fight for survival against natural disasters, giant snakes, and violent criminals.

As per insider information, Jack Black may portray “an erstwhile director, a man stuck in his job as a wedding videographer.” Conversely, Paul Rudd might play “an actor who did a stint on a cop show but sees his Hollywood dreams slipping further away.” Interestingly, another source suggests that their roles could actually be reversed.

The project, which has been in development at Columbia Pictures since early last year, has seen numerous rewrites. Gormican and Etten have been collaborating closely with Columbia to strike the right tonal balance for the film.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter