Anaconda (2025), the meta comedy starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd, has set two franchise records on Rotten Tomatoes despite receiving a mixed critical reception. The film, which reimagines the 1997 horror B-movie as a self-aware comedy about filmmaking, now holds the highest critic score and a record-breaking audience score for the series.
Released in theaters on December 25, 2025, the movie is directed by Tom Gormican and follows four friends who travel to the Amazon to shoot a shoestring-budget remake of the original Anaconda, only to find themselves in a real-life creature feature. The film’s 52% Tomatometer score and 79% audience score represent a dramatic split in reception and a significant upgrade over previous franchise entries.
What The New Anaconda Movie Is About
The 2025 Anaconda is not a straightforward remake or sequel. It is a meta-comedy where the act of remaking the original movie becomes the plot. The story centers on childhood friends Griff (Paul Rudd) and Doug (Jack Black), who, along with their pals Claire (Thandiwe Newton) and Kenny (Steve Zahn), decide to chase their dormant filmmaking dreams. Griff, a struggling actor, claims to have secured the rights to remake Anaconda, prompting the group to take out a loan and head to the Amazon with a camera.
“Don’t call it a remake. Don’t call it a sequel. Don’t even call it a reboot. ‘Anaconda’ is like nothing you’ve seen before, while also being exactly like something you’ve seen before: Namely, the 1997 movie ‘Anaconda,’” described critic Christy Lemire.
Their plan quickly unravels as the logistical nightmares of low-budget filmmaking collide with a genuine threat: a massive, predatory anaconda that begins hunting the crew. The film, which runs for 99 minutes and is rated PG-13, aims to blend Hollywood satire with creature-feature thrills.
Breaking Down the Rotten Tomatoes Records
The new film’s performance on the review-aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes is historic for the nearly 30-year-old franchise.
Record 1: Highest Critic Score in the Franchise
With a Tomatometer score of 52% (based on over 80 reviews), the 2025 reboot has surpassed the original 1997 film’s rating of 40% to become the best-reviewed Anaconda movie among critics. This score represents a significant recovery from early reviews, which saw the rating languish in the 30s before climbing.
Record 2: Highest Audience Score by a Wide Margin
The more striking record is the film’s audience score. With a 79% approval rating from over 250 verified user ratings, the movie is the runaway favorite among general viewers in the Anaconda series. This stands in stark contrast to the original film’s meager 24% audience score and dwarfs the ratings of all other sequels, which have audience scores ranging from 10% to 27%.
The table below illustrates the critical divide and the new film’s record-setting status within the franchise:
Why Critics and Audiences Disagree
The stark difference between the critic (52%) and audience (79%) scores points to a film that resonates differently with professional reviewers versus the general public.
Critical Reception: A Clever Concept with Flawed Execution
Many critics praised the film’s inventive meta-premise but found the comedy uneven and the tone inconsistent. A common critique was that the film started strong as a satire of filmmaking and Hollywood’s reboot culture but lost its way when it shifted into a more conventional action movie.
“It’s an amusing idea … until it isn’t. ‘Anaconda’ operates in the same self-aware lane as Gormican’s previous film… It’s an inspired idea, even though a lot of the industry inside jokes may go over most moviegoers’ heads,” wrote Christy Lemire for RogerEbert.com.
Other reviews were harsher, criticizing the film for a lack of genuine laughs despite its talented cast. IGN’s review called it a “ssstinker” and “concept over execution,” while JoBlo’s review pointedly asked, “Where are the laughs?”.
Audience Reception: Embracing the Fun and the Stars
Audiences, however, have responded much more positively to the film’s comedic energy and its leads. The high audience score suggests that general viewers are more forgiving of the script’s flaws and are connecting with the chemistry between Black and Rudd, as well as the film’s campy, self-referential humor. The film’s central message—about reconnecting with old friends and chasing creative passions later in life—also appears to be landing with viewers.
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Box Office Performance and Cast Details
The movie opened on Christmas Day with a modest box office take. Its opening day gross was approximately $9.1 million in North America, with projections suggesting a weekend total between $20 and $30 million. The film was produced on a reported budget of $45 million.
The ensemble cast is led by Paul Rudd and Jack Black, who play the aspiring filmmakers Griff and Doug. They are joined by Thandiwe Newton as Claire and Steve Zahn as Kenny. The film also features Daniela Melchior as a boat captain and Selton Mello as a snake handler. In a notable meta-cameo, Ice Cube—who starred in the original 1997 film—returns to play a version of himself.
Anaconda (2025) is now playing in theaters.
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