Jack Black, Paul Rudd in early talks for new Anaconda movie

Jack Black and Paul Rudd are in early talks to star in a new Anaconda movie for Columbia Pictures with a meta twist.

Prepare yourself to be regurgitated by a giant snake all over again! Paul Rudd and Jack Black are in early talks to star in a new Anaconda movie based on the 1997 adventure horror starring Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, and Jon Voight. However, it appears that there will be something of a meta twist with this project.

According to sources, “the new story involves a group of friends facing mid-life crises who are remaking their favorite movie from their youth. They head to the rainforest only to find themselves into a fight for their lives against natural disasters, giant snakes and violent criminals.” As for who Jack Black and Paul Rudd could be playing in the Anaconda movie, details are sparse, but sources mention two characters: a director stuck in his job as a wedding videographer and an actor who once did a stint on a police procedural who now sees his Hollywood dreams slipping away. Rudd was actually mentioned with this project over a year ago when there were rumblings that he would star alongside Pedro Pascal.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent director Tom Gormican is set to direct the project as well as co-write the script with Kevin Ettin. The project has apparently been in the works since early 2023, going through a lot of rewrites as they try to strike the correct tone.

The original Anaconda movie spawned a handful of sequels, including Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid, Anaconda 3: Offspring, Anacondas: Trial of Blood, and Lake Placid vs. Anaconda. There was also a Chinese remake released earlier this year which centered around a group of circus performers pitting against a giant snake. “A group of circus performers, on their way to what they think is a new performance location, become stranded in a lush rainforest after the boat they were on, and the captain leading the way, are eaten and destroyed by an anaconda with a special red marking,” reads a description. “They cross paths with a deadly poacher who is hunting the anaconda, who realises that he might now have enough bait to catch him. But being circus performers, they have a few survival tricks up their sleeves.“