Paul Ruddis at South by Southwest to promote his new A24 black comedyDeath of a Unicorn, but he wasn’t able to slither away from questions about his new horror comedyAnaconda. Collider’sSteve Weintraubput the squeeze on theAnt-Manstar in a new interview.
When asked about the film’s rating, and its comedic tone, he cited directorTom Gormican’s previous film, theNicolas Cagemeta-comedyThe Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. He also confirms that filming on the project is nearly complete:
It’s the same director [as The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent], and the tone of that movie, which was kind of a meta-comedy, it’s like that. It’s about a bunch of people who are certainly inspired by and loved the movieAnacondafrom the ‘90s, but it’s not a remake. It’s a totally unique thing, and it is funny. As far as the rating, I don’t know. But we’ve got about a week left, and it’s been a blast.
What Is the Original ‘Anaconda’ About?
Released in 1997,Anacondafollows a film crew (includingJennifer Lopez,Ice Cube, andOwen Wilson) as they travel up the Amazon in search of a lost tribe of people. Instead, they find eccentric snake hunter Paul Serone (Jon Voight, sporting an extremely dubious accent). When disaster befalls team leader Steven Cale (Eric Stoltz), Serone takes control, and steers the expedition into dangerous waters on a hunt for a legendarily enormous snake: the anaconda. Numerous members of the crew fall prey to either the murderous Serone or a gigantic, hungry snake, leading to a final confrontation with both cold-blooded creatures.
Despite biological inaccuracies (real anacondas do not regurgitate their still-livng prey to eat them a second time) and occasionally hilarious special effects, the movie was a hit, making $136.8 million on a $45 million budget. It has since become something of a camp classic.Roger Ebert’scontemporary reviewsingles out Voight’s performance in particular: “…his final scene, which he plays with a wink, will be remembered wherever great movie exits are treasured.”
Co-starring with Rudd in the 2025 incarnation ofAnacondaareJack Black(A Minecraft Movie),Selton Mello(I’m Still Here),Daniela Melchior(The Suicide Squad),Thandiwe Newton(Westworld),Steve Zahn(Silo), andIone Skye(La Brea). In addition to directing, Gormican co-wrote the script with hisThe Unbearable Weight of Massive TalentcollaboratorKevin Etten.
Anacondawill bereleased on June 21, 2025. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
