Paul Rudd Compares Ice Cube’s 'Anaconda' Approval to a Major Seal of Approval

The red carpet premiere of the newest 'Anaconda' movie leaned fully into its reptile theme, with snake-skin boots, jackets and dresses everywhere in sight. The event brought downtown Los Angeles to life as fans gathered to welcome the giant snake back to theatres.

Stars Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Steve Zahn, Thandie Newton and Selton Mello walked the carpet alongside director Tom Gormican, soaking in the energy from a loud and enthusiastic crowd.

What is New 'Anaconda' About?

The new 'Anaconda' lands somewhere between a reboot, a reimagining and a playful follow-up to the 1997 cult favourite that starred Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube and John Voight. This time around, the story follows Black and his friends as they attempt to make an ultra-low-budget remake of the original film in the Amazon rainforest, only for everything to spiral into chaos in both funny and frightening ways.

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Black said he was immediately sold on the project thanks to Gormican's previous film, 'The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,' and the involvement of Paul Rudd. He admitted he was ready to say yes on the spot, even before reading the script. Once he did, he was convinced it was a smart, modern meta horror comedy that felt perfect for today’s audiences.

Ice Cube also appeared at the premiere and made a surprise comedic cameo in the film. Rudd shared that getting Cube’s approval meant the world to him, comparing it to receiving a blessing from a powerful authority figure and calling it a huge honour.

Image Courtesy: IMDb

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Challenges in Shooting New 'Anaconda' 

While the movie pokes fun at disastrous film productions, Gormican revealed that the real shoot faced major challenges of its own. Midway through filming, the team lost their planned finale location and had to rewrite the ending on the fly. After building a massive boat junkyard set, a rare cyclone hit Australia and destroyed it. Despite the setback, the crew regrouped, rebuilt and pushed forward to finish the film.

The director also joked that keeping the cast focused was no easy task. Between takes, the actors often turned the set into a full-blown jam session, with singing, drumming and guitar playing breaking out instead of rehearsals. Gormican said he spent much of that time gently reminding everyone that they still had a movie to make.

Image Courtesy: IMDb

With comedy becoming less common in theatres and more common on streaming platforms, Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman said he hopes to bring laughs back to the big screen. He pointed out that movie theatres thrive on shared experiences and that there's nothing more communal than a room full of people laughing together.

'Anaconda' slithers into theatres on Christmas Day.

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