This is going to be very meta, isn't it?
Yet another reboot in Hollywood’s endless sea of unoriginal movies? Well, not quite. Anaconda, a meta horror-comedy set to hit theaters on December 25, 2025. So, what’s this movie really about? But first, let’s take a quick look back at the original Anaconda from 1997.
The Original
The 90s were a golden era for creature features. Films like Arachnophobia and Mimic gaves us phobias that still haunts us today. Many of these movies drew inspiration from Jaws, aiming to recreate that heart-pounding suspense that makes you want to look away… while the monster hunts its unsuspecting victims.
In Anaconda, a documentary crew ventures into the Amazon rainforest, led by a maniacal snake hunter. What the crew doesn’t realize is that they’re essentially being used as bait for the biggest snake in the world.
Today, the movie is remembered as a fun, campy ride with just the right amount of monster-snake chaos to keep things thrilling. Its campiness comes partly from the over-the-top characters played by Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, and others. And the late 90s CGI? Let’s just say it hasn’t aged well but that actually adds to its charm.
Anaconda was wild, unpretentious, and unapologetically silly. Like Sharknado, it fully embraced its absurdity instead of pretending to be something it wasn’t. So, how will the reboot compare?
A Meta-Reboot
The trailer gives us a glimpse: Doug (Jack Black) visits his friend (Paul Rudd) with a bold idea: “Let’s reboot Anaconda.” And just like that, they head into the jungle to revive a movie from their youth.
Things quickly go off the rails. Their normal-sized snake dies on set, forcing them to hunt for a new star. Luckily, they’re in the Amazon though the replacement snake might be a little too big and aggressive… just like the original monster.
From what we can tell, this movie isn’t just about giant snakes. It’s about a group of friends in the throes of a midlife crisis, trying to recapture their youth by rebooting one of their favorite films. In my opinion, that could either make the movie brilliant… or completely derail it.
Rather than just using nostalgia to trick viewers into watching another prequel, sequel, or reboot, this film weaves it into the plot. The challenge? Staying true to the original while adding something fresh and entertaining.So, are you excited for a reboot like this? Could it actually be fun, or will it end up as just another half-baked comedy trading on a nostalgic title? And seriously haven’t we all learned since 2005’s King Kong that following Jack Black into the jungle to make a movie is probably a bad idea?