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Paul Rudd and Jack Black Want to Reboot Anaconda: Trailer Drops for the Snake-Sized Comedy Horror Revival
Paul Rudd and Jack Black Want to Reboot Anaconda: Trailer Drops for the Snake-Sized Comedy Horror Revival
Hollywood has no shortage of reboots, but this one might just slither into cult classic territory. Comedy icons Paul Rudd and Jack Black have teamed up for a tongue-in-cheek revival of the infamous 1997 creature feature Anaconda — and if the newly released trailer is anything to go by, this reboot is going to be as ridiculous as it is gigantic.
A Quick Throwback: Why Anaconda Still Matters
Back in 1997, Anaconda introduced audiences to Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, and one truly over-the-top giant snake. Critics roasted it, but fans loved it — the film made over $136 million worldwide and spawned a string of sequels and spin-offs (none of which lived up to the campy fun of the original).
Part horror, part adventure, and part unintentional comedy, Anaconda became a cult guilty pleasure. The idea of rebooting it with two actors known for leaning into absurd comedy feels like Hollywood finally “gets” what the franchise was always meant to be.
The New Reboot: What We Know So Far
The Anaconda reboot, produced by Sony Pictures, stars Paul Rudd as an overly earnest wildlife documentary filmmaker and Jack Black as his eccentric cameraman. Instead of trying to play it straight like the 1997 film, the reboot embraces a parody-meets-adventure style — somewhere between Jumanji, Tropic Thunder, and a Saturday Night Live sketch with a Hollywood budget.
The trailer gives us a taste of what’s coming:
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The Snake Is Back (and Bigger Than Ever): CGI has come a long way since the ’90s, and the new anaconda is massive, menacing, but deliberately exaggerated. Think equal parts terrifying and cartoonishly absurd.
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Jack Black’s Brand of Chaos: In the trailer, his character tries to reason with the snake by playing guitar — a clear nod to his Tenacious D roots. Spoiler: it doesn’t work.
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Paul Rudd’s Reluctant Hero Vibes: Ever the straight man in comedy duos, Rudd spends most of the preview trying to convince everyone (and himself) that “the science checks out” while chaos unfolds around him.
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Self-Aware Humor: There are meta jokes poking fun at Hollywood reboots, bad CGI snakes of the past, and even the original’s infamous Jon Voight performance.
Why This Reboot Might Actually Work
Reboots usually get side-eyed, but this one might dodge the backlash for a few reasons:
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It Knows What It Is: The original Anaconda was unintentionally funny; the reboot leans into that energy intentionally. It’s comedy horror — not prestige horror.
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Perfect Casting: Rudd’s charm and Jack Black’s manic energy make them a natural comedy duo. If Ghostbusters: Afterlife showed us Rudd can hold a blockbuster, and Jumanji showed us Black can steal one, putting them together feels like a win.
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Nostalgia Meets Modern Humor: Fans of the original get the callbacks, while younger audiences get a fresh, ridiculous adventure film.
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The Parody Factor: The trailer suggests the reboot might be less about “serious” scares and more about poking fun at the entire creature-feature genre — think Sharknado but with an A-list budget and cast.
Fan Reactions to the Trailer
Within hours of dropping, the trailer sparked buzz across social media:
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Some fans praised the duo: “Paul Rudd + Jack Black vs. a giant snake? Take my money.”
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Others weren’t sure: “Did Anaconda really need a reboot? But okay, I’m watching.”
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And of course, meme culture latched onto it instantly — GIFs of Jack Black screaming while wrapped in CGI snake coils are already making the rounds on Twitter/X.
Hollywood’s Obsession with Reboots: The Bigger Picture
The Anaconda reboot fits into a larger Hollywood trend: dusting off ‘90s and early 2000s properties with nostalgic value. In the last decade, we’ve seen Jumanji, Jurassic World, Ghostbusters, and Twisters revived with a mix of nostalgia and comedy.
But unlike some of those, Anaconda was never critically beloved. It’s remembered precisely because it was campy fun. By letting Rudd and Black run wild with that tone, the reboot could avoid the trap of taking itself too seriously.
Will It Deliver Beyond the Laughs?
The real question is whether the movie can balance comedy with enough spectacle to feel like an “event film.” Giant snakes, jungle expeditions, and survival tropes still have cinematic potential. If the humor enhances rather than undermines the thrills, this could become the rare reboot that stands on its own while honoring the original’s cult reputation.
Release Date & What’s Next
The reboot is slated for Summer 2026, positioning it as both a blockbuster and a comedy crowd-pleaser. With the trailer already making waves, expect a full marketing blitz with viral snake memes, parody posters, and maybe even some Rudd/Black comedy skits to hype it up.
Whether it ends up being a clever parody, a box office surprise, or a so-bad-it’s-good guilty pleasure, one thing’s certain: nobody’s going to forget Paul Rudd and Jack Black fighting a giant CGI snake anytime soon.
Final Thoughts
The Anaconda reboot with Paul Rudd and Jack Black might not be the reboot we asked for — but judging by the trailer, it could be the one we’ll be talking (and laughing) about all summer long.
At its best, it could do for giant snake movies what 21 Jump Street did for buddy cop reboots: take something dated, turn it on its head, and give audiences a mix of thrills and hilarity.
At its worst? Well, at least we’ll get Jack Black singing to a snake. And honestly, that might be worth the ticket price alone.
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