Hollywood stars Paul Rudd and Jack Black are headed to Queensland to film Sony Pictures’ Anaconda, a reimagining of the 1997 flick starring Jennifer Lopez.
Securing the project through Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy, the producers have chosen Queensland’s rainforests to stand in for the Amazon. In the film, a fictional documentary film crew get taken hostage by a hunter seeking the world’s largest snake.
The film is helmed by director Tom Gormican and co-written with Kevin Etten, both of whom are known for the 2022 Nicolas Cage film The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Producers Brad Fuller and Andrew Form are attached to the project.
Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek emphasised the economic and employment benefits of hosting such high-profile productions. ‘Filming Anaconda will inject an estimated $40 million into the state’s economy and create jobs for more than 300 screen practitioners, which is a wonderful outcome for our great state,’ said Langbroek.
ScreenHub: Liam Neeson back in Victoria to film thriller
Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney expressed enthusiasm for the project, saying, ‘With the backing of state and federal incentives, combined with the versatility of our stunning natural environments featuring rainforests in easy reach, Queensland has become a premier destination for high-calibre location-based productions like Anaconda.’
Sony Pictures’ President of Production Administration, Andy Davis, praised Queensland’s suitability for the film: ‘Queensland offers a unique combination of natural beauty and world-class facilities, making it the perfect backdrop for our story.’
The Anaconda reboot joins a growing list of major productions in Queensland, including Ron Howard’s Eden, Balls Up, The Bluff, Good Cop/Bad Cop, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and Australian projects Audrey, Black Snow, Dangerous Animals and the Gettin’ Square sequel, Spit.
Anaconda is supported by the Australian Government through the Location Offset.
For a glimpse of the film, watch the Anaconda teaser trailer below:
Anaconda will be in cinemas by Christmas 2025.
