Sony Pictures has unveiled the first trailer for ‘Anaconda’, a reimagining of the 1997 cult snake thriller, this time led by Paul Rudd and Jack Black. The preview, released on September 17, has already crossed 240,000 views and stirred a flurry of responses online.

Directed and co-written by Tom Gormican - best known for ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ and ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ - the new project departs from the original narrative. While it shares the same title as the Jennifer Lopez- and Ice Cube-fronted classic, it is not a remake.

The upcoming release joins a long-running franchise that began with ‘Anaconda’ (1997) and continued with ‘Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid’ (2004), ‘Anaconda 3: Offspring’ (2008) and ‘Anacondas: Trail of Blood’ (2009), before the new 2025 instalment.

Instead, the story follows a group of longtime friends, all navigating midlife struggles, who attempt to recreate a favourite film from their youth. Rudd plays Griff, a background actor, while Black portrays Doug, a wedding videographer. Their light-hearted adventure quickly turns dangerous when they venture deep into the jungle.

The ensemble also features Thandiwe Newton, Steve Zahn and Daniela Melchior. Producers Brad Fuller and Andrew Form are backing the film under their Fully Formed Entertainment banner, with Kevin Etten joining as co-writer.

Rudd and Black confirmed the project last year in a tongue-in-cheek YouTube announcement that also revealed its Christmas 2025 release. “We’re making a movie!” Black shouted in the clip. “Paul Rudd and Jack Black star in the ‘Anaconda.’”

Rudd added that audiences could expect a range of emotions from the experience. “You want to get scared,” he said. “You want to laugh. You want to celebrate with your friends. Maybe you’re alone, sad and don’t have nobody but just want to forget about that. It’s coming out on Christmas in 2025.”

The trailer itself leaned heavily on comedy, promoted with the tagline: “I like big snakes and I cannot lie. Paul Rudd and Jack Black star in @Anaconda_Movie – exclusively in theatres Christmas. #AnacondaMovie.”

Online reactions

One user on X wrote, “This looks so ridiculous but good, and if there was any way to reboot Anaconda, this was it.”

Another user wrote, “It's not scary.”

A third user wrote, “its not horror or terror it's comedy my friends.”

The two-minute, thirty-second clip has divided viewers, with some embracing the playful twist on the creature feature and others questioning its tone. With its holiday release on December 25, ‘Anaconda’ is positioning itself as both a send-up and celebration of the monster-movie genre.