We had earlier reported that actors Paul Rudd and Jack Black will be teaming up for a re-imagining of Anaconda. The makers have now set a Christmas 2025 release date for the film which is helmed by Tom Gormican from a script he co-wrote with Kevin Etten. Gormican is known for The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
The duo took to Instagram to announce the release date, accompanied by a humorous video featuring Black and Rudd exchanging hugs and cracking jokes.
"Hey, what's up, people? We're making a movie! Paul Rudd and Jack Black star in The Anaconda. There's gonna be a big fu**ing snake, and it's gonna rip!" Jack said in the video.
Paul Rudd added, "You wanna get scared. You wanna laugh. You wanna celebrate with your friends. Or maybe you're alone, feeling sad, but just want to forget about that. The Anaconda is coming out on Christmas 2025."
Plot details, including Black and Rudd’s roles, are being kept under wraps.
The adaptation is set to bring a comedic twist to the old snake story. The film is not a remake of the 1997 Anaconda. The original starred Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson and Ice Cube as a National Geographic film crew who finds themselves in a perilous situation when they're taken hostage by a deranged hunter, played by Jon Voight, who's obsessed with capturing the world's most massive and venomous snake, leading to a heart-pumping battle for survival.
The original Anaconda film's unexpected success, grossing $136 million worldwide and spawning four sequels, has inspired a new meta-thriller directed by Gormican. This fresh take follows a group of friends experiencing mid-life crises who embark on a journey to recreate their beloved childhood movie. However, their venture into the jungle takes a dark turn, blurring the lines between reality and fiction.
Fully Formed's Brad Fuller and Andrew Form are producing the project. Black and Rudd, both closely linked to Sony through their roles in the Jumanji and Ghostbusters franchises, are also actively involved in the production.