The 1997 blockbuster Anaconda is reported to have a reboot in development and Nicolas Cage apparently is in talks to star.
The first movie was a financial hit in the late 1990s despite not generating positive reception from critics and audiences according to the online movie aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Anaconda was a mystery and thriller that ran for 1 hour and 29 minutes rated PG-13. It registered only 40% on the tomatometer with 53 reviews and an even lower 24% Audience Score from more than 250K ratings.
Starring Jennifer Lopez as Terri Flores, Ice Cube as Danny Rich and Jon Voight as Paul Sarone, the movie had a budget of $45M that delivered ticket receipts worth $137M. The movie basically told about a team shooting a documentary about a tribe in the Amazon River.
They end up having to agree to work with a snake hunter to capture a giant snake. Eventually, they battle the giant reptile where many of their crew perish.
The full-grown snake got killed but not before Lopez’s character Flores discovered several hatchlings. In the end, they defeat the Anaconda and get saved by the very tribe they were looking for in the first place.
Anaconda, despite the failure with critics, succeeded in launching a beast franchise. Three more movies followed, two of which were direct to video projects. The sequel was released in 2004 entitled Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid. It was a standalone sequel with a production budget of $25M that managed to generate $70M in the worldwide box office.
Nicholas Cage Could Star In A New Anaconda Film
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According to Giant Freakin Robot, Nicolas Cage is in active talks to star in a new movie under the giant snake franchise. Quite possibly this is for the movie that Sony announced was being prepared for a reboot. It was 2020 when the studio stated that Even Daugtherty will pen the new project.
Movie enthusiasts know Daugherty for the writer’s work on Tomb Raider (2018), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), Divergent (2014), Killing Season (2013), and Snow White and the Huntsman (2012).
No other specific detail was disclosed as to what the new project under the franchise will be. Even though the description was for a reboot, it could still mean a few different things. A retelling of the original movie? Or a version that brings together specific aspects of all four movies under the franchise? Or are they reintroducing the giant snakes in a completely different storyline?
Cage is an Oscar winning actor for his performance in Leaving Las Vegas. However, even with that and several other accolades, the actor is also known to take on roles that not a lot of people think are worthy of his talents. The actor has recently admitted to the reason why he did projects that he did in the past that seemed not to make sense for his fans.
Anaconda Being Rebooted With Nicolas Cage
Credit: Sony Pictures
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What’s encouraging now is that that particular phase in his career is over. Lately, Cage has gotten to be able to be more discerning in his projects as an actor. His more recent projects especially since 2021 Pig, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Butcher’s Crossing up to 2023 The Old Way were evidences of his more selective demeanor for his projects.
His very latest project Renfield where he played the immortal vampire Dracula may indeed reflect a rotten tomato rating of 57% but it still had an audience score of 72%. However, unfortunately, the movie which also starred Nicholas Hoult, Awkwafina and Ben Schwartz did not thrive in the box office. With a reported budget of over $86M, it was only able to draw blood at $19M.
Still, the actor is gaining traction to the point that The Hollywood Reporter even calls the current stage of his career his Renaissance. Definitely the actor is more decisive and more into curating the projects he will be participating in.
On the other hand, the Anaconda project is reported to be helmed by director Tom Gormican, the same director for his critically acclaimed movie with Pedro Pascal, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. With that, there could be a chance that the actor is highly interested to put his name on the credited actors list. Who’s to say he may or may not be interested in conceptualizing a story for it as well?
But as the production has yet to announce official development let alone casting choices, all we can do is wait and hope Cage gets his full footing back in the industry. He’s already almost there. Just a little nudge more.
What do you think of the possibility of having an Anaconda reboot with Nicolas Cage? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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