Hollywood remakes and reboots are everywhere these days, so it usually takes something genuinely weird or genuinely inspired to get people to perk up. The upcoming Anaconda remake definitely qualifies as the former, but it’s also bringing back a very specific kind of old-school energy: the “crazy motherf—ker from around the way.” That’s right. Ice Cube is back, baby. And while I was already intrigued, the reason he signed on to the 2025 movie release somehow makes the whole thing even better.
Speaking with People at the Los Angeles premiere, Ice Cube said the decision to return came together fast once he understood the movie’s tone. The film isn’t looking to be a grim reboot, but instead is a project that knows exactly how ridiculous its premise is and leans into it. The "It Was a Good Day" performer explained this unique sensibility is what sold him. He revealed:
When they asked me to do it, when I knew the kind of movie they were doing, I jumped at it. I'm like, 'This is something different. It’s cool.' People probably get a kick out of me popping on the screen.
The original Anaconda was anything but subtle, but it didn’t pretend to be. Jon Voight was chewing scenery harder than the snake chewed the cast. The titular wildlife was absolutely enormous, and Ice Cube’s straight-faced turn as cameraman Danny helped keep the whole thing from sliding completely off the rails. Bringing him back nearly 30 years later feels like a movie completing a very weird circle.
That feeling clearly carried over to the new cast. Paul Rudd, who co-leads the remake alongside Jack Black, has been openly giddy about the "You Know How We Do It" artist's involvement and the blessing that came with it. In an interview with THR, he talked about Cube signing off on the project. Rudd didn’t even try to play it cool, saying:
It means everything. That’s like being blessed by the Pope. You go over, you kiss the ring and he gives you a pat on the head and says, ‘Good job, son.'
Rudd’s quote perfectly captures the energy this reboot is conveying, based solely on the trailer. Anaconda (2025) isn’t pretending to reinvent cinema; it’s honoring a cult favorite while having fun with the idea of remaking it. The film follows Rudd and Black as lifelong friends who travel to the Amazon to remake their favorite movie, only for things to go sideways when a very real giant snake enters the picture.
The War of the Worlds star is no stranger to tongue-in-cheek nostalgia. He’s already proved he can wink at the past without disrespecting it thanks to his turns in the 21 Jump Street reboot and its sequel, both of which gleefully skewered the melodrama of the original ’80s TV series. Leaning into a self-aware remix of a cult favorite is clearly a muscle he knows how to flex. That’s why his involvement here feels less like a gimmick and more like a quiet torch pass. Ice Cube “popping up” gives longtime fans and newcomers alike permission to laugh at the absurdity while enjoying the ride.
Anaconda slithers into theaters on December 25, and if Cube’s surprise appearance delivers even half the kick he’s expecting, the remake will have already done something very right.
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