# Anaconda (film series)

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 and an upcoming film serving as a reboot, Anaconda (2025) directed by Tom Gormican. A Chinese remake of the same name, Anaconda, was released in 2024, directed by Xiang Qui Liang and Xiang He Sheng. 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.

## Films

| 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. | 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 | David Olson & Nicholas Davidoff | Alison Semenza |
| Anacondas: Trail of Blood | February 28, 2009 | Don E. FauntLeRoy | David Olson | David Olson | | Alison Semenza |
| Lake Placid vs. Anaconda | April 25, 2015 | A.B. Stone | Berkeley Anderson | Berkeley Anderson | Phillip Roth & Jeffery Beach |
| Anaconda | December 25, 2025 | Tom Gormican | Tom Gormican & Kevin Etten | Tom Gormican & Kevin Etten | Brad Fuller & Andrew Form |

### Anaconda (1997)

A documentary film crew travels deep into the Amazon rainforest to film a story about a secluded tribe. They encounter a massive, deadly anaconda that begins hunting them one by one. As the crew fights for survival, they realize they are not only being stalked by the snake but also by a mysterious man who has seeks to capture the gaint snake.

### Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004)

A group of researchers embarks on an expedition to the jungles of Borneo in search of the rare Blood Orchid, believed to have medicinal properties. However, they encounter a massive breed of aggressive and dangerous Anaconda. As they venture deeper into the jungle, they must fight for survival against both the snakes, the unforgiving environment, and their own ambitions.

### Anaconda 3: Offspring (2008)

The film follows a team of scientists working in a remote facility for Wexel Hall where they are experimenting with genetic engineering and the Blood Orchid. They inadvertently create a new breed of anaconda, which grows to monstrous size and escapes into the wild. As the snakes escape and wreak havoc, a group of mercenaries and the scientists must work together to stop it before it reaches a populated area.

### Anacondas: Trail of Blood (2009)

Amanda, a former scientist behind the creation of genetically engineered anacondas of the third film, must stop the last of the mutant anacondas she helped create after it gained regenerative abilities from the Blood Orchid's experiments. As the creature grows deadlier, Amanda joins a group of survivors to track it down and prevent it from wreacking further havoc.

### Lake Placid vs. Anaconda (2015)

Wexell Hall inadvertently causes a new generation of anacondas to escape into the crocodile-infested Black Lake. As the deadly snakes wreak havoc on the town, Sheriff Reba and her team must face off against the killer reptiles. With both creatures threatening the town's survival, the characters must find a way to stop the carnage and prevent further destruction.

### Anaconda (2025)

In January 2020, it was announced that Columbia Pictures was developing a reboot of the 1997 cult film Anaconda, with Evan Daugherty attached to write the screenplay. In March 2023, Tom Gormican was attached as the director of the film. In August 2024, Jack Black and Paul Rudd were cast in the leading roles, with Tom Gormican confirmed to direct from a screenplay written by Gormican and Kevin Etten. In September, Daniela Melchior joined the cast. In December, it was later announced that the film will officially be releasing on December 25, 2025.

## Cast and crew
### Cast

   * An $^A$ indicates an appearance through archival footage.
   * A dark gray cell indicates the character was not in the film.
| Character | Films | Films | Films | Films | Films | Reboot |
| Character | Anaconda | Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid | Anaconda 3: Offspring | Anacondas: Trail of Blood | Lake Placid vs. Anaconda | Anaconda |
| Character | 1997 | 2004 | 2008 | 2009 | 2015 | 2025 |
| Terri Flores | Jennifer Lopez | Mentioned | | | | |
| Danny Rich | Ice Cube | Mentioned | | | | |
| Paulerson "Paul" Serone | Jon Voight | Mentioned | | | | |
| Professor Steven "Steve" Cale | Eric Stoltz | Mentioned | | | | |
| Warren Westridge | Jonathan Hyde | Mentioned | | | | |
| Gary Dixon | Owen Wilson | Mentioned | | | | |
| Denise Kalberg | Kari Wuhrer | Mentioned | | | | |
| 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 | Crystal Allen | | |
| Peter "J.D." Murdoch | | | John Rhys-Davies | John Rhys-Davies | Mentioned | |
| Pinkus | | | Ryan McCluskey | | | |
| Nick | | | Patrick Regis | | | |
| Andrei | | | Alin Olteanu | | | |
| Grozny | | | Anthony Green | Anthony Green | | |
| Victor | | | Toma Danilă | Toma Danilă | | |
| Sofia | | | Milhaela Oros | Milhaela Oros | | |
| Professor Eric Kane | | | Şerban Celea | Şerban Celea | | |
| Darryl | | | Alin Constantinescu | Alin Constantinescu | | |
| Peter Reysner | | | Zoltan Butuc | Zoltan Butuc | | |
| Murdoch's Assistant | | | Cristina Teodorescu | 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 | |
| Doug McCallister | | | | | | Jack Black |
| Ronald Griffen "Griff" Jr | | | | | | Paul Rudd |
| Santiago Braga | | | | | | Selton Mello |
| Ana Almeida | | | | | | Daniela Melchior |
| Claire Simons | | | | | | Thandiwe Newton |
| Kenny Trent | | | | | | Steve Zahn |
| Malie McCallister | | | | | | Ione Skye |

### Crew

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

## International releases
### Anaconda (2024)

A remake of the 1997 film was released in China on March 1, 2024, and was directed by Xiang Qui Liang and Xiang He Sheng. 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.

## Reception
### Box office performance

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

### Critical response

| Film | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic |
| Anaconda (1997) | 41% (54 reviews) | 37 (20 reviews) |
| Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid | 26% (121 reviews) | 40 (28 reviews) |

## Music
### Soundtracks

| Title | U.S. release date | Length | Composer(s) | Label |
| Anaconda (1997): 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
### Novelization

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.

### Video games
   #### 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.

   #### 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.

   #### 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.

   #### 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.