Paul Rudd and Jack Black are in early talks to star in a new “Anaconda” movie at Sony, according to an insider with knowledge of the project.
“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” writers Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten wrote the screenplay, with Gormican attached to direct. “Snow White and the Huntsman” and “Tomb Raider” screenwriter Evan Daugherty wrote the previous draft of the script.
Brad Fuller and Andrew Form are producing via their Fully Formed banner.
The film isn’t expected to be a sequel or a straight remake, but instead a reimagining of the original ’90s film, which grossed roughly $137 million at the box office worldwide and was disparaged by critics and audiences alike at the time.
Released in 1997, “Anaconda” starred Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube and Jon Voight.
The film also starred Eric Stoltz, Owen Wilson, Kari Wuhrer and Jonathan Hyde, and has earned a 40% critics score and a 42% audience score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
The original followed a documentary film crew on their trek through the Amazon when they come across a stranded, obsessed hunter (Voight) looking for a legendary — and enormous — snake, which gives off real white whale kind of vibes. The hunter then derails the crew’s expedition for his own quest, dragging the filmmakers along to contend with a murderous madman and face the giant water boa hellbent on killing them.
Gormican most recently wrote “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F” for Netflix. He is repped by CAA and 3 Arts Entertainment.
