Release Date, Cast, Story & Everything We Know

The classic 1990s monster movie Anaconda is returning with a new remake, but this time it is envisioned as a meta comedy. The 1997 original starred Jennifer Lopez as a documentary filmmaker who travels deep into the jungles of South America in search of a lost tribe of indigenous people who live there. Unfortunately, the crew gets more than they bargained for when they encounter a dangerous criminal (played by Jon Voight) and a massive man-eating snake. Though cheesy and critically panned, Anaconda certainly has its place in the poorly-defined horror landscape of the 1990s.

Now, after a ton of sequels to Anaconda, the Jennifer Lopez vehicle is set to be remade by Hollywood but in a way that is totally unexpected. This new take on the blockbuster will reframe it as a comedy, though maintain the same basic story structure as the original. This meta approach to the cult classic is coming from the writer behind the Nicolas Cage film, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and it has the chance to continue the trend of spoofing Hollywood while also paying homage to beloved films from the past.

The Anaconda Remake Latest News

Jack Black Announces The Movie’s Cast Via Song

With the movie already on the schedule, the latest news finds Jack Black announcing the cast of Anaconda in a cheeky new video. The actor/singer busted out an impromptu jam with co-stars Selton Mello and Paul Rudd, while he listed off the names of the main cast. Rudd, Black, and Daniela Melchior were already known, but Mello’s casting is new, as is Thandiwe Newton and Steve Zahn. Nothing is known about the newcomers’ roles thus far, but Zahn and Black previously teamed up in 2001’s Saving Silverman.

The Anaconda Remake Release Date

The Snake Stalks On Christmas Day 2025

The current iteration of the remake of Anaconda is wildly different from the one announced in 2020 (via CBR), and Divergent‘s Evan Daughtery was previously attached to write and direct. Now, the film will be co-written by Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten, with the former also serving as director. Besides a change of personnel behind-the-scenes, the new version of the remake will also be wildly different in tone, and will instead opt for a comedic meta narrative instead of a straightforward recreation of the ’90s cult classic.

In a surprising move, Sony announced the release date for Anaconda only a few months after the current iteration was announced. The tongue-in-cheek horror remake will serve as counterprogramming for the holiday season when it arrives in theaters on Christmas Day 2025. This relatively quick turnaround implies that work is already well underway on the snake movie, but production timeline details still remain elusive despite it being placed on the calendar.

Anaconda Remake Cast Details

Paul Rudd & Jack Black Will Star

Paul Rudd and Jack Black were the first two names considered for the cast of the Anaconda remake, and it has now been confirmed that they will star. The film concerns an aging group of actors heading to the jungle to remake a movie from their glory years, and Black and Rudd are perfect to play the fading stars. Rudd has a knack for playing unlikable heels (such as Ben Glenroy in Only Murders in the Building), and Black’s often over-enthusiastic characters are the perfect foil (such as School of Rock). Road House star Daniela Melchior has also been cast in an unknown role.

More cast members were announced in February 2025, with Selton Mello (I’m Still Here), Thandiwe Newton (Westworld), and Steve Zahn (Silo) all tapped to play lead roles. Nothing is known about the new characters, but they make up an A-list cast with some serious comedic chops.

Actor	Anaconda Role
Jack Black	Unknown
Paul Rudd	Unknown
Daniela Melchior	Unknown
Thandiwe Newton	Unknown
Steve Zahn	Unknown
Selton Mello	Unknown

The Anaconda Remake Story Details

From Scary To Silly

Unlike the typical Hollywood remake which is merely a rehash of the original, the upcoming remake of Anaconda is shifting the paradigm completely by transforming itself into a comedy. The film will follow an aging group of movie stars who make a midlife trek to the Amazon to remake a movie that was a big hit in their glory days. Naturally, the hapless group will encounter all sorts of problems, including an unbelievably large snake that wants to eat them.

With writer/director Tom Gormican at the helm, it’s assumed that the remake will take a page from his film The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, which skewered Hollywood in a wholly original way. Much in the same way that Nic Cage played himself in the movie, the stars of the Anaconda remake might also portray larger-than-life versions of their movie star personas.

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Anaconda

Release Date

April 11, 1997

Runtime

90minutes

Director

Luis Llosa

Writers

Luis Llosa