Anaconda (film series)

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Anaconda
Cover for the DVD-box containing the first four films.
Created by
Original workAnaconda (1997)
OwnerSony Pictures
(Sony Pictures Releasing)
Years1997–present
Films and television
Film(s)

Anaconda (also known as Anacondas) is an American horror film series created by Hans Bauer, Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. Produced and distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, the series began with Anaconda (1997) directed by Luis Llosa, and was followed by one theatrical stand-alone sequel, Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004) directed by Dwight Little, and three television sequels, Anaconda 3: Offspring (2008), Anacondas: Trail of Blood (2009), both directed by Don E. FauntLeRoy, and Lake Placid vs. Anaconda (2015) directed by A.B. Stone and being a crossover with the Lake Placid film series. Along with a 2024 Chinese remake of the same name, Anaconda (2024) directed by Xiang Qui Liang and Xiang He Sheng.[1] Each installment revolves around giant man-eating anacondas and the efforts of various groups of people to capture or destroy the creatures. The fictional plant known as the Blood Orchid and the company Wexel Hall Pharmaceuticals as well as the fictitious Murdoch family are repeatedly referenced in the films.

A reboot is currently in development from Sony Pictures.[2]

Films[edit]

Film U.S. release date Director(s) Screenwriter(s) Story by Producer(s)
Anaconda April 11, 1997 Luis Llosa Jim Cash, Hans Bauer & Jack Epps Jr. Verna Harrah, Carol Little & Leonard Rabinowitz
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid August 27, 2004 Dwight H. Little John Claflin, Daniel Zelman, Michael Miner & Edward Neumeier Jim Cash, Hans Bauer & Jack Epps Jr. Verna Harrah
Anaconda 3: Offspring July 26, 2008 Don E. FauntLeRoy David Olson & Nicholas Davidoff Alison Semenza
Anacondas: Trail of Blood February 28, 2009 David Olson
Lake Placid vs. Anaconda April 25, 2015 A.B. Stone Berkeley Anderson Phillip Roth & Jeffery Beach
Anaconda March 1, 2024 (China) Xiang Qui Liang & Xiang He Sheng Evan Daugherty

Anaconda (1997)[edit]

When a documentary crew traveling through the Amazon jungle picks up a stranded man, they are unaware of the trouble that will occur. This stranger's hobby is to capture the giant Anaconda snake, and plans to continue targeting it on their boat.

Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004)[edit]

A scientific expedition sets out for Borneo to seek a flower called the Blood Orchid, which could grant longer life. Meanwhile, they run afoul of snakes and each other.

Anaconda 3: Offspring (2008)[edit]

A team of mercenaries join forces with a herpetologist and an assistant from the billionaire owner who both worked in a genetic research lab, Wexel Hall, to capture the snakes after they escaped from the lab, until they find themselves needing to stop them before it's too late.

Anacondas: Trail of Blood (2009)[edit]

A herpetologist is on a mission to destroy the Blood Orchid from the billionaire who wanted a serum to cure his cancer, until a dangerous snake threatens everyone.

Lake Placid vs. Anaconda (2015)[edit]

In Black Lake, Maine, an accident allows the two giant species, crocodiles and anacondas to be regenerated and escape towards to Clear Lake. Now, Reba teams up with Tully to find his daughter Bethany and a group of sorority girls in a deadly match between the two creatures.

Anaconda (2024)[edit]

A group of circus performers, on their way to what they think is a new performance location, become stranded in a lush rainforest after the boat they were on, and the captain leading the way, are eaten and destroyed by an anaconda. They cross paths with a deadly poacher who is hunting the anaconda, who realizes that he might now have enough bait to catch him. But being circus performers, they have a few survival tricks up their sleeves.

Future[edit]

In January 2020, Sony Pictures announced a reboot is in development, with Evan Daugherty serving as screenwriter.[3] In 2023, Tom Gormican was announced to direct the film.[4]

Cast and crew[edit]

Cast[edit]

Key
  • An A indicates an appearance through archival footage.
  • A dark gray cell indicates the character was not in the film.
Character Films
Anaconda Anacondas:
The Hunt for the Blood Orchid
Anaconda 3:
Offspring
Anacondas:
Trail of Blood
Lake Placid vs. Anaconda
1997 2004 2008 2009 2015
Terri Flores Jennifer Lopez Mentioned  
Danny Rich Ice Cube  
Paulerson "Paul" Serone Jon Voight  
Professor Steven "Steve" Cale Eric Stoltz  
Warren Westridge Jonathan Hyde  
Gary Dixon Owen Wilson  
Denise Kalberg Kari Wuhrer  
Mateo Vincent Castellanos  
Poacher Danny Trejo  
William "Bill" Johnson   Johnny Messner  
Samantha "Sam" Rogers   KaDee Strickland  
Dr.Jackson "Jack" Bryon   Matthew Marsden  
Cole Burris   Eugene Byrd  
Gail Stern   Salli Richardson-Whitfield  
Trenton "Tran" Wu   Karl Yune  
Gordon Mitchell   Morris Chestnut  
Dr.Benjamin "Ben" Douglas   Nicholas Gonzalez  
John Livingston   Andy Anderson  
Stephen Hammett   David Hasselhoff  
Dr. Amanda Hayes   Crystal Allen  
Peter "J.D." Murdoch   John Rhys-Davies Mentioned
Pinkus   Ryan McCluskey  
Nick   Patrick Regis  
Andrei   Alin Olteanu  
Grozny   Anthony Green Anthony GreenA  
Victor   Toma Danilă Toma DanilăA  
Sofia   Milhaela Oros Milhaela OrosA  
Professor Eric Kane   Şerban Celea Şerban CeleaA  
Darryl   Alin Constantinescu Alin ConstantinescuA  
Peter Reysner   Zoltan Butuc  
Murdoch's Assistant   Cristina Teodorescu  
Jackson   Linden Ashby  
Scott   Danny Midwinter  
Alex   Călin Stanciu  
Heather   Ana Ularu  
Wendy   Anca Androne  
Eugene   Emil Hostina  
Will "Tully" Tull   Corin Nemec
Reba   Yancy Butler
Jim Bickerman   Robert Englund
Bethany Tull   Skye Lourie
Sarah Murdoch   Annabel Wright
Beach   Stephen Billington
Tiffani   Laura Dale
Margo   Ali Eagle
Deputy Ferguson   Oliver Walker

Crew[edit]

Role Film
Anaconda Anacondas:
The Hunt for the Blood Orchid
Anaconda 3:
Offspring
Anacondas:
Trail of Blood
Lake Placid vs. Anaconda
1997 2004 2008 2009 2015
Composer(s) Randy Edelman Nerida Tyson-Chew Peter Meisner Claude Foisy
Cinematographer Bill Butler Stephen F. Windon Don E. FauntLeRoy Ivo Peitchev
Editor Michael R. Miller Marcus D'Arcy
Mark Warner
Scott Conrad Cameron Hallenbeck
Production companies Columbia Pictures
Cinema Line Film Corporation
Screen Gems
Middle Fork Productions
Stage 6 Films
Hollywood Media Bridge
Castel Film Romania
Really Big Snake Productions
Destination Films
UFO International
Distributor Sony Pictures Releasing Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Running time 89 minutes 97 minutes 91 minutes 89 minutes 92 minutes

Reception[edit]

Box office performance[edit]

Film Release date Box office gross Budget Ref.
North America Other
territories
Worldwide
Anaconda April 11, 1997 $65,885,767 $71,000,000 $136,885,767 $45 million [5]
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid August 27, 2004 $32,238,923 $38,753,975 $70,992,898 $25 million [6]
Total $98,124,690 $109,753,975 $207,878,669 $70 million [7]

Critical response[edit]

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic
Anaconda 41% (54 reviews)[8] 37 (20 reviews)[9]
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid 26% (121 reviews)[10] 40 (28 reviews)[11]

Music[edit]

Soundtracks[edit]

Title U.S. release date Length Composer(s) Label
Anaconda: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack April 22, 1997 33:56 Randy Edelman Edel America Records
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) August 30, 2004 60:57 Nerida Tyson-Chew Varèse Sarabande

Other media[edit]

Novelization[edit]

Anaconda: The Writer's Cut is a novel by Hans Bauer published in 2014. Bauer also wrote the screenplay for the 1997 film Anaconda and its 2004 sequel Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid.[12]

Video games[edit]

Quake Anaconda Mod (1997)

Promoting the original film's release, Sony released a free total conversion mod for Quake Mission Pack No. 1: Scourge of Armagon, which featured new snake enemies and a large Anaconda boss character.[13][14]

Anacondas Arcade Game (2004)

Anacondas Arcade Game is an online interactive game produced by Sony Studios in 2004 to promote the film Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid from the same year.[15]

Anacondas 3D: Adventure Game (2004)

Anacondas 3D: Adventure Game is an online interactive game produced by Sony Studios in 2004 to promote the film Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid from the same year.[16][17]

Snakes on a Babe (2008)

Snakes on a Babe is an online interactive game produced in 2008 to promote the film Anaconda 3: Offspring from the same year.[18][19]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Squires, John (2024-03-26). "'Anaconda' Trailer – Preview Brutal Chinese Remake of the 1997 American Creature Feature!". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  2. ^ Prasad, Sumith (2023-10-23). "Anaconda Reboot: Plot and Character Details Revealed". The Cinemaholic. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  3. ^ Kit, Borys (January 24, 2020). "'Anaconda' Reboot in the Works With 'Snow White and the Huntsman' Writer (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  4. ^ Kamal, Nathan (March 11, 2023). "Exclusive: Anaconda Reboot In Development From Massive Talent Director". Giant Freakin Robot. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  5. ^ "Anaconda (1997)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
  6. ^ "Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
  7. ^ "Box Office History for Anaconda Movies". The Numbers. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
  8. ^ "Anaconda (1997)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  9. ^ "Anaconda". Metacritic. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
  10. ^ "Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  11. ^ "Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid". Metacritic. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
  12. ^ Anaconda: The Writer's Cut - Kindle edition by Hans Bauer. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. 23 January 2014.
  13. ^ "Blue's Quake News - March 29 - April 4, 1997". www.bluesnews.com.
  14. ^ "anaconda.zip - Anaconda by Magicman in the Quake map archive at Quaddicted.com". www.quaddicted.com.
  15. ^ "Play Anacondas | Play Free Addicting Games Online". www.freeaddictinggames.com.
  16. ^ "Anacondas: 3D Adventure Game FULL GAME - download". Gamepressure.com.
  17. ^ "Anacondas 3D Adventure Game. Get the software safe and easy". Software Informer.
  18. ^ "Anaconda 3 – The Offspring Presents: Snakes on a Babe". Beyond Hollywood. 2008-10-28. Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
  19. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original (flash) on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2016-02-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)