Ice Cube’s New Horror Comedy Rockets to No. 1 on Streaming After Netflix Premiere

File this one under 'unexpected hits': 'Anaconda', a comedy starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd, has basically exploded on Netflix since landing there. If you missed this thing in theaters (and judging by its box office, you probably did), it's suddenly everywhere.

An Offbeat Concept That Actually Works?

So the premise here is... weird: Two middle-aged friends, Doug (Jack Black) and Griff (Paul Rudd), decide they’re going to remake the 1997 cult action-horror flick 'Anaconda'—yes, that one with Ice Cube and Jennifer Lopez fighting a giant snake. The plot pushes them way out of their comfort zone (and, apparently, common sense), as they drag a shoestring crew out to the Amazon to shoot their own version. Except—naturally—it turns out they’re not the only predators in the jungle. A real, massive anaconda decides to crash their low-budget set.

Nobody Saw This Streaming Surge Coming

The movie got its big-screen release on December 25, 2025—so not exactly the summer blockbuster slot. It did fairly well for a comedy with a meta-premise, raking in just under $135 million worldwide (with about $65 million coming from the U.S.). But the real story is what happened after: Once 'Anaconda' hit Netflix, it shot straight to the top of the streaming service’s movie charts, outpacing bigger names like 'The Bad Guys 2', 'Minions: The Rise of Gru', 'Sisu: Road to Revenge', and 'The Creator'.

As of March 26, 2026, 'Anaconda' was officially Netflix’s #1 movie in the U.S., according to FlixPatrol data.

This Cast Is Stacked—And Clearly Having Fun

• Jack Black as Doug McCallister
• Paul Rudd as Ronald 'Griff' Griffen Jr.
• Steve Zahn plays Kenny Trent (expect peak Steve Zahn energy)
• Thandiwe Newton as Claire Simons
• Daniela Melchior as Ana Almeida

Tom Gormican ('The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent') directed, so if you sense a whiff of Hollywood satire with your slapstick jungle action, that's probably why.

Divided Critics, Happy Audiences

Critics are, let’s just say, not wild about it—sitting at a shaky 48% on Rotten Tomatoes. Regular people, on the other hand, are way more into it. The audience score sits at a much friendlier 75%. If you’re looking for something that leans into goofy meta-comedy and doesn’t take itself seriously (at all), you’ll probably get why it’s blowing up online.

In short: Sometimes the most ridiculous ideas make for perfect streaming comfort food. Snake movie remake about a snake movie remake? Why not.