The comedy reboot of Anaconda has slithered into CinemaCon.
Paul Rudd and Jack Black appeared in a video segment to introduce Sony film chief Tom Rothman at the start of the studio’s presentation at the Las Vegas event Monday. Rudd and Black star in director Tom Gormican’s reimagining of Sony’s 1997 snake-focused horror movie.
“We should probably talk about our movie because let’s face it, this is one big commercial,” Rudd quipped. The pair noted that they were currently in Australia to film the movie. “I wish we were there right now,” Black noted.
“Get ready to meet the real star of the film: the anaconda itself,” Rudd continued, with the two stars then joking that a large snake had gotten loose.
Rothman then hit the stage to the tune of “Anaconda” by Sir Mix-a-Lot and joked that they couldn’t get the rights to the song.
Hitting theaters Dec. 25, Anaconda is directed by Gormican (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent) from a script he co-wrote with Kevin Etten. Brad Fuller and Andrew Form produce for Fully Formed.
In December, Rudd and Black posted a video in which they teased the new project. “There’s gonna be a big fucking snake, and it’s gonna rip,” Black said at the time. The Hollywood Reporter previously reported in August that the project was in development.
Luis Llosa directed 1997’s Anaconda, with a cast that included Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson, Ice Cube and Jon Voight. Spawning a number of sequels, the first movie focused on a National Geographic film crew hunting for the world’s biggest and deadliest snake.
The original Anaconda surpassed $136 million at the worldwide box office ($269 million today).
Rudd led last year’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and can currently be seen opposite Jenna Ortega in A24’s Death of a Unicorn. Black had voice roles in the 2024 titles Kung Fu Panda 4 and Borderlands, and his video game adaptation A Minecraft Movie hits theaters this weekend.
CinemaCon is the annual event for exhibitors and Hollywood studios that runs this year from March 31 to April 3. It is presented by Cinema United (formerly the National Association of Theater Owners).