Anaconda | Producer Brad Fuller on why the remake is a horror comedy (exclusive)

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Producer Brad Fuller explains why Anaconda is a meta horror comedy rather than a straight remake of the 1997 creature feature.


Remakes ā€“ particularly of genre films ā€“ are hardly a new phenomenon, but the upcoming Anaconda promises to be rather different. It stars Jack Black and Paul Rudd as two filmmakers (a director and actor respectively) whose careers have hit the skids.

In a final attempt to make something of themselves, the pair head to the Amazon and attempt to shoot their own low-budget remake of a 1997 creature feature called ā€“ you guessed it ā€“ Anaconda. In other words, itā€™s a meta comedy take on a familiar name, brought to the screen by director Tom Gormican, whose The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent ā€“ a likeably daft dissection of Nicolas Cageā€™s career ā€“ was similarly post-modern.

The new Anaconda is being produced by Brad Fuller, co-founder of production company Platinum Dunes. Heā€™s no stranger to remakes, having overseen the likes of 2003ā€™s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 2005ā€™s The Amityville Horror and more besides. Another film of Fullerā€™s ā€“ the tense sci-fi monster film Elevation, directed by George Nolfi ā€“ is heading to Prime Video this month, and when we spoke to Fuller on a video call about that film a few days ago, he was on the set of Anaconda in Brisbane, Australia.

Inevitably, the conversation turned to Anaconda on occasion, and Fuller explained why this new take on the 90s title has gone down the comedy route. Referencing Platinum Dunesā€™ earlier cycle of straight horror remakes, Fuller said, ā€œIf weā€™re going to do a remake, then there has to be a real reason to do it. There has to be a big enough idea, like Anaconda as a comedy ā€“ to me, is a fun movie, right? If weā€™re just first Anaconda, with J-Lo and Ice Cube, thatā€™s not gonna work.ā€

Fuller also added that, with this being the first comedy heā€™s produced, thereā€™s a certain amount of apprehensiveness involved.

ā€œI feel like I have a sense when Iā€™m shooting a scene that has a scare,ā€ he said. ā€œFrom all the movies Iā€™ve done, I feel like I have a sense of if itā€™s going to work. But with comedy, Iā€™ve never done it before, and I have no idea. I just know what I find funny, and I donā€™t know if anyone else does. So weā€™ll see how that works out on this movie [Anaconda].ā€

Rest assured, however, that while Anaconda is a comedy, itā€™ll contain flashes of serpentine gore, much like the 1997 film.

ā€œThereā€™s definitely horror elements,ā€ Fuller said. ā€œI mean, thatā€™s why weā€™re here. Sony put us on the movie because they want the horror to work. The director here, Tom [Gormican], whoā€™s known for being a comedy director. Weā€™re merging both. And itā€™s a little scary to do that, because people have certainly done horror comedy, but not the way that weā€™re doing it here.ā€

Anaconda is currently scheduled for a US cinema release on the 25th December.

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