Daniela Melchior Joins the Cast of the "Anaconda" Reinterpretation

There's news of the giant snake: a new interpretation of "Anaconda" starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd was announced back in August this year, and now Daniela Melchior has also joined the cast of the film. Melchior recently attracted a lot of attention for her role in "Road House", in which she performed alongside Jake Gyllenhaal. She was also seen in "The Suicide Squad" as Ratcatcher 2 and "Fast X".

According to Deadline, the new "Anaconda" film is not a simple reboot, but rather a reinterpretation with a meta approach. Based on initial information, Jack Black will play a former director who now works as a wedding videographer. Paul Rudd, on the other hand, will play an actor who is mourning his Hollywood dreams after his role in a police series.

According to sources, the plot revolves around a group of friends who decide to make a remake of their favorite film "Anaconda". In order to make the movie authentic, they are drawn to the Brazilian rainforest, where not only do they have to deal with the perils of the jungle, but also with criminal gangs and the eponymous giant snake.

The film is directed by "Massive Talent" director Tom Gormican, who is also responsible for the screenplay. Originally, "Anaconda" was supposed to be filmed last year, but the project was put back due to the Hollywood strikes. A release date for the new "Anaconda" film has not been set yet.

The "Anaconda" Movies

Since its debut in 1997, the "Anaconda" film series has established itself as an integral part of the animal horror genre. With a mixture of action, horror and adventure, the films revived the classic concept of the "monster movie", which has been providing thrills in cinemas since the days of "Jaws" and "King Kong". "Anaconda" relies on a gigantic, vicious reptile as its antagonist – a giant snake that devours everything in its path. The series has evolved over the years and has received sequels and spin-offs, which have been met with mixed reviews.

The Beginning: "Anaconda" (1997)

The first "Anaconda" film was released in 1997 under the direction of Luis Llosa and laid the foundation for the entire series. With a high-caliber cast that included Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, Owen Wilson and Eric Stoltz, the film immediately attracted attention. The plot revolved around a group of documentary filmmakers who travel to the Amazon to find a rare Indian tribe. However, they soon fall into the clutches of a maniacal snake hunter (played by Jon Voight) who involves them in a deadly hunt for a giant anaconda.

Although the film received a mixed reception from critics, it achieved commercial success. The visually impressive, if often unrealistic, depiction of the giant snake and the fast pace made the film a box office hit. With worldwide box office takings of over 130 million US dollars on a budget of around 45 million US dollars, "Anaconda" was a solid success that paved the way for future sequels.

"Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid" (2004)

Seven years later, the first sequel followed: "Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid" (2004). In this sequel, the setting was once again moved to the jungle, but this time with a different focus. A team of scientists and businessmen travel to Borneo to find a rare flower that supposedly promises eternal life. What they don't know, however, is that the blood orchid promotes the growth of giant anacondas.

This sequel dispensed with the stars of the original, opting instead for a less well-known cast. This time, the giant snakes were represented by computer-generated effects, which was seen as a weakness by some viewers. Nevertheless, the film breathed new life into the franchise and proved to be an entertaining B-movie adventure that stood out above all for its humor and self-irony.

The Direct-to-Video sequels: "Anaconda 3: Offspring" (2008) and "Anacondas: Trail of Blood" (2009)

With the films "Anaconda 3: Offspring" and "Anacondas: Trail of Blood", both direct-to-video productions, the series increasingly turned to trash horror. David Hasselhoff took on the lead role in "Anaconda 3: Offspring", which earned the film an unintentional cult status. The plot revolved around genetically modified Anacondas that grow up in a research laboratory and eventually break out.

"Anacondas: Trail of Blood" continued the story of the third installment directly and offered more of the genetically modified giant snake mayhem. However, these films received far less attention and criticism as they fell well short of their predecessors in terms of storytelling and effects. Nevertheless, there are fans who appreciate these films for their trash factor and humorous undertone.

"Lake Placid vs. Anaconda" (2015) - The Crossover

The Crossover

2015 saw a surprising crossover between two popular monster movie franchises: "Lake Placid" and "Anaconda". The movie "Lake Placid vs. Anaconda" united the giant crocodiles of the "Lake Placid" movies with the giant snakes of "Anaconda". The plot revolved around a dangerous experiment that produced both mutant crocodiles and anacondas. The film was a typical direct-to-video production with a manageable quality, but was celebrated by some as an entertaining trash movie due to its curious concept and deliberately exaggerated action.

The "Anaconda" film series has established itself as a cult phenomenon in the horror genre over the last few decades. Starting with the successful original film from the 90s, through various sequels to the crossover with "Lake Placid", the series offered a wide range of monster action and trash horror. With the upcoming reboot, the franchise is now facing a new era. It remains to be seen whether the makers will succeed in reviving the old charm and introducing fresh ideas at the same time.