“Anaconda” has returned. And this time it’s funny. On purpose, we mean.
The new film, this time starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd, arrives on Christmas Day. But you won’t have to wait that long to get a glimpse of the creature feature. The first trailer for the film, directed by Tom Gormican, has just arrived. Watch it above.
“Doug (Black) and Griff (Rudd) have been best friends since they were kids, and have always dreamed of remaking their all-time favorite movie: the cinematic ‘classic’ ‘Anaconda.’ When a midlife crisis pushes them to finally go for it, they head deep into the Amazon to start filming,” according to the official synopsis. “But things get real when an actual giant anaconda appears, turning their comically chaotic movie set into a deadly situation. The movie they’re dying to make? It might just get them killed…”
Gormican, who co-wrote “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” wrote “Anaconda” with Kevin Etten. The two also wrote the Nicolas Cage/Pedro Pascal vehicle “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.” On “Anaconda,” Gormican will be making his feature directing debut.
Gormican and Etten also produced “Anaconda” alongside Brad Fuller and Andrew Form.
The film co-stars Selton Mello, Daniela Melchior, Ione Skye, Thandiwe Newton and Steve Zahn.
The original “Anaconda” was released back on April 11, 1997. It starred Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight and Owen Wilson and was directed by Peruvian journeyman filmmaker Luis Llosa. Its tag line was “When you can’t breathe, you can’t scream.” It inspired a theatrical sequel, “Anaconda: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid,” directed by Dwight H. Little which released into theaters on August 27, 2004. From there, the series went the direct-to-video route, with 2008’s “Anaconda 3: Offspring” and 2009’s “Anacondas: Trail of Blood,” both directed by Don E. FauntLeRoy. Then the series crossed over with giant crocodile movie “Lake Placid,” which had its own mini-empire of direct-to-video sequel. “Lake Placid vs. Anaconda” debuted on Syfy in 2015.
Other films opening on Dec. 25 include Josh Safdie’s period sports film “Marty Supreme” starring Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow and Odessa A’zion from A24; “Song Sung Blue,” with Hugh Jackman as a real life Neil Diamond impersonator from Focus Features; and Park Chan-wook’s Cannes-winning “No Other Choice” from NEON; plus historical drama “The Choral,” starring Ralph Fiennes, from Sony subsidiary Sony Pictures Classics.
“Anaconda” hits theatersssssssss on Dec. 25.
