A ’90s cult classic gets a comedic reinvention as Jack Black and Paul Rudd team up for the first time in Anaconda, a comedy adventure hitting Philippine cinemas on 8 January.

Directed by Tom Gormican, the film stars Black and Rudd as childhood best friends Doug and Griff, whose shared midlife crisis drives them to remake their favorite movie, Anaconda. Their dream project takes a dangerous turn when the pair head into the Amazon and encounter a very real giant snake. Chaos — and comedy — quickly follow.

The ensemble cast includes Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, Daniela Melchior and Selton Mello. Unlike the 1997 thriller, the new Anaconda offers a fresh, standalone take, focusing on filmmakers caught in a deadly situation while chasing a lifelong dream.

Jack Black expressed his excitement about the project:

“The script for Anaconda was funny and crazy, and I was excited to work with Tom Gormican and his brain, because The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent was one of my favorite films. And … Paul Rudd was attached! I was like, ‘I want to party with these dudes!’ This was a deck full of aces,” he said. 

Distributed locally by Columbia Pictures, Anaconda promises laughs and thrills when it slithers into Philippine theaters on 8 January.