Forget the midlife crisis red sports car. Jack Black and Paul Rudd are dealing with their anxieties about aging by making a movie. Netflix has officially released Anaconda today, and it’s the ’90s nostalgia trip you didn’t know you needed.
The Premise: Meta-Snake Mayhem
Doug (Black) and Griff (Rudd) are two best friends determined to remake their favorite cinematic masterpiece: the 1997 cult classic Anaconda. Armed with questionable camera skills and a low-budget dream, they head into the jungle to capture lightning in a bottle.
The only catch? A very real, very hungry, and very non-CGI giant snake has decided it wants top billing. It turns out “getting the shot” is significantly harder when the local wildlife is trying to turn your cinematographer into a snack.
The Dream Team (On and Off Screen)
If anyone can balance “is this a movie or a cry for help?” energy, it’s director Tom Gormican. After giving us the Nicolas Cage fever dream The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, he’s brought that same meta-chaos to the Amazon.
The cast is a literal VIP lounge of “Hey, I love that person!”: Jack Black and Paul Rudd are the comedic duo we’ve been waiting for. Steve Zahn reunited with Black for maximum Saving Silverman vibes. The recognizable talent doesn’t end there. Thandiwe Newton, Selton Mello, Ione Skye, and Daniela Melchior round out a squad that’s far too talented for the disaster they’re filming.
Paying Homage to the OG
For the Gen Z-ers who missed the era of frosted tips and dial-up internet: the original 1997 Anaconda featured Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, and Jon Voight (who spent the entire runtime looking like he’d just smelled something truly offensive). It was a box-office banger that spawned sequels, crossovers, ophiophobia, and a lifelong fear of large logs in the water.
If you somehow missed the iconic creature feature back in 1997, I urge you to watch it now. It’s available right now on Prime Video or Starz.
Multiple Ways to Watch
Get ready for equal parts human and creature terror, Anaconda (2026) is now on Netflix! Don’t have Netflix? No problem. It’s also out now on Digital, 4K Ultra, and Blu-ray.
