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Anaconda is a 2025 American action comedy film[5] that serves as a meta-reboot of Anaconda (1997) and is the sixth installment in the Anaconda film series. The film was directed by Tom Gormican, who co-wrote it with Kevin Etten, and stars Paul Rudd, Jack Black, Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, Daniela Melchior, and Selton Mello. The film follows a group of childhood friends trying to remake the original 1997 film, only to be attacked by a giant and murderous anaconda.
Anaconda had its premiere at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles, California on December 13, 2025, and was released by Sony Pictures Releasing in the United States on December 25. The film received mixed reviews from critics and has grossed $49.5 million worldwide.
Plot
Childhood friends Doug McCallister, Ronald "Griff" Griffin, Kenny Trent, and Claire Simons are all unsatisfied with the way their lives have gone. When Griff reveals that he has obtained the rights to one of their favorite films, Anaconda, the group secures a loan and travels to the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil to make a low-budget indie version of the film. While shooting, Griff accidentally kills the snake they meant to use. One of the trackers, Timo, is attacked by the snake before Griff and snake handler Santiago venture into the jungle to find a replacement, but Santiago is attacked by a massive anaconda that terrorizes the jungle.
The friends are joined by Ana, a woman who claims to be going after illegal gold miners. Doug decides to add her as a character in their film and begins focusing mainly on her, creating friction with Griff. When a film crew who also claims to be remaking Anaconda passes by, Doug angrily confronts Griff, who admits that he lied about buying the legal rights to the franchise. After an argument, Griff leaves to join the other crew, but finds their set in ruins and the cast and crew all missing, having been killed by the anaconda.
Meanwhile, Ana reveals herself to be an illegal gold miner on the run from police. She is apprehended by a police officer, but Griff reappears and shoots the officer in the leg, assuming him to be a villain. Ana kills the officer, holds the crew at gunpoint, and demands that they gather gold for her, but the anaconda drags her underwater, killing her. As the friends try to make their way home, Doug is attacked by the anaconda. Kenny, Griff, and Claire later discover his body, which they use as bait to distract the anaconda, presuming him to be dead. Doug suddenly awakens as the anaconda is approaching him and narrowly escapes.
The friends come across the wrecked film set and encounter Ice Cube, who helps them set off pyrotechnics to kill the snake. When this fails, Griff shoots propane tanks with a flare to blow up the anaconda's body, and Doug delivers the final blow to its head. The group finishes their film, but cannot secure theatrical distribution as Sony sends them a cease-and-desist letter. Griff and Claire later get married, and Doug is visited by Jennifer Lopez, who liked his film and invites him to direct an actual reboot. Meanwhile, Santiago is revealed to be alive.
Cast
- Paul Rudd as Ronald "Griff" Griffen Jr., a background actor
- Jack Black as Doug McCallister, a wedding videographer
- Steve Zahn as Kenny Trent, Doug and Griff's friend
- Thandiwe Newton as Claire Simons, Doug and Griff's friend
- Daniela Melchior as Ana Almeida
- Selton Mello as Carlos Santiago Braga, a snake handler
- Ice Cube as himself
- Ione Skye as Malie McCallister, Doug's wife
- Ben Lawson as TV MD - Brant Markham
- Rui Ricardo Diaz as Joao
- John Billingsley as Jerry
- Dan Silveira as Timo
Additionally, Jennifer Lopez, who appeared in the original Anaconda film, has an uncredited cameo appearance as herself.
Production
On January 24, 2020, it was announced that Columbia Pictures was developing a reboot of the 1997 cult film Anaconda, with Evan Daugherty attached to write the screenplay.[6] In March 2023, Tom Gormican was announced as the director of the film.[7] In August 2024, Jack Black and Paul Rudd were cast in the leading roles, with Gormican scribing with frequent collaborator Kevin Etten.[8] Rudd was initially cast in Black's role, but when Black came aboard later the two actors swapped parts upon Black's insistence.[9] In September 2024, Daniela Melchior joined the cast.[10] In January 2025, Thandiwe Newton, Steve Zahn, Selton Mello, and Ione Skye joined the cast, with principal photography beginning that month in Queensland, Australia.[11] Filming concluded in late February 2025.[12] The "pee-shy" scene was shot during reshoots; shooting of the Jennifer Lopez mid-credits scene occurred much later, on November 17, 2025.[9]
Music
The film score for Anaconda was composed and produced by American composer David Fleming, who was announced as the project’s composer in late 2025.[13] Fleming’s score was released digitally by Madison Gate Records on December 25, 2025, alongside the film, and spans approximately 42 minutes across multiple cues that align with key narrative moments, from the opening jungle adventure to humorous character themes.[13]
Release
Anaconda had its world premiere in Los Angeles on December 13, 2025.[14] It was released in the United States on December 25, 2025, by Sony Pictures Releasing.[15]
Reception
Box office
As of December 31, 2025, Anaconda has grossed $30 million in the United States and Canada, and $20 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $50 million.[3][4]
In the United States and Canada, Anaconda was released alongside Marty Supreme and Song Sung Blue, and was projected to gross around $20 million from 3,509 theaters over its four-day opening weekend.[2] The film made $9.1 million on its first day (which included $2.1 million from Christmas Eve previews).[16][17] It went on to debut to $14.6 million (and a total of $23.7 million over the four days), finishing in fifth.[18]
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 53% of 128 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "The premise might be ripe for a raucous action-comedy, but this meta reboot of Anaconda can't detach its jaws wide enough to swallow so many conflicting tones."[19] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 44 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[20] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.[17]
Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post gave the film a three stars rating out of four and wrote, "Whenever there's a lull here, a big laugh soon comes along with the force of a boa constrictor that conceals the flaws."[21] Ethan Anderton of /Film wrote, "Anaconda taps into a sweet spot that's just edgy enough to make adults laugh and just family friendly enough to let kids have a good time with their parents too. It's hilarious, harmless, and puts a fun spin on a familiar formula, even if the snake still looks fake as hell."[22]
In a more mixed review, Peter Debruge of Variety wrote, "The only risk taken here was asking Sony — plus any surviving members of the original cast — to poke fun at themselves, which only goes so far when the film has no fangs."[23]
Sequel
When asked about a potential sequel to the new film, Gormican confirmed that Lopez's cameo is intended to be the setup for one, calling it "your sequel system." He does, however, denote that while he would "love to make a sequel" to the new Anaconda, "enough people [need to] see this film [so] that it warrants one" to expand on the movie's ending.[24]
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