“Anaconda” Adds Thandiwe Newton and Steve Zahn To Its Cast

The Hollywood Reporter has reported that Thandiwe Newton and Steve Zahn have joined the cast of Anaconda, a new comedy film that re-imagines the 1997 action horror film of the same title that starred Jennifer Lopez and Jon Voight.

The film is currently in production in Australia and is expected to come out in theatres in December 2025.

Newton, best known for her roles in Mission Impossible 2 and most recently the tv show Westworld, and Zahn who audiences will recognise from the American series Silo and his lead roles in Joy Ride and National Security, are the two most recent additions to the Anaconda cast. The two are joining Paul Rudd and Jack Black in what appears to be a star-studded cast. The film will also star Selton Mello, from the Brazilian film I’m Still Here, in his English-language debut, and the British-American actress Ione Skye.

The newest addition to the Anaconda franchise will focus on a group of friends who are facing a mid-life crisis. They decide to head to a rainforest to remake their favourite film but will find themselves fighting against natural disasters, violent criminals, and giant snakes. Black will play the director who is stuck working as a wedding videographer with Rudd as an actor who dreams of Hollywood.

Anaconda is co-written by Kevin Etten and Tom Gormican – the same team behind The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent with Nicholas Cage – with the latter also directing the film and is set for a 2026 release.

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Clotilde Chinnici

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Clotilde’s love for film began at a very young age with the Disney cartoons she would watch over and over. However, her passion for films truly sparked with franchises like Hunger Games and Harry Potter. After graduating with a BA in Film from King’s College London, Clotilde started working in film production and entertainment journalism while developing a deeper understanding of film movements and trends. Although most of her time is occupied by watching films, writing and talking about them to anyone who will listen, Clotilde enjoys reading and baking in her free time.

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