Actors Jack Black and Paul Rudd are in early talks to star in Columbia Pictures' Anaconda, directed by writer-director Tom Gormican.
Gormican, who directed “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” starring Nicolas Cage and wrote “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” has co-written and will direct the new “Anaconda” film, which is said to add a comedic touch to the twisty story. Kevin Etten co-wrote the screenplay.
Details about the project are vague, but the film is not a remake of the 1997 film “Anaconda,” which starred Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson and Ice Cube as a National Geographic film crew captured by a psychopathic hunter (Jon Voight) on a mission to hunt down the world’s largest and most dangerous snake. The film was a surprise hit, grossing $136 million at the worldwide box office and spawning four sequels.
Gormican takes a big turn. It's said to center on a group of friends facing a midlife crisis who set out to remake their favorite movie from their youth. But when they head into the woods, things take a turn for the worse. It's not been confirmed who will play Black and Rudd, but two of the main characters have been described as a director who works part-time as a wedding videographer and an actor whose career peak was a stint on a detective show.
Brad Fuller and Andrew Form are producing the project, which has been in development for some time. Earlier this week, diverse Form (who produced all three films in the “A Quiet Place” series) has reportedly signed on with Sony’s Screen Gems, according to exclusive reports. Black and Rhode are also closely associated with Sony thanks to the successful “Jumanji” and “Ghostbusters” franchises, respectively.
Black is represented by Sloane Offer. Rudd is represented by UTA and Lighthouse Management. Gormican is represented by CAA and 3 Arts Entertainment.
The studio has not commented on the casting news, which was first reported by Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter.
