One of the questions that fans have regarding the new Anaconda movie is whether original star Jennifer Lopez made a surprise appearance.
The newly released film, starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd, serves as a meta-reboot of the horror franchise. While all installments in the past leaned towards horror and thriller, this new version has a strong comedic tone, and it was an attempt to do a fresh take on the franchise that feels unique and original despite being an IP project.
However, some fans were wondering whether the film managed to bring back the original stars of the 1997 cult classic, including Lopez.
SPOILER WARNING: This article includes spoilers for Anaconda (2025), so proceed with caution.
Did Jennifer Lopez Appear in Anaconda (2025)?
Yes, Jennifer Lopez made a surprise appearance as herself in the mid-credits scene for Anaconda, bringing her back to the franchise three decades later.
The renowned actress/musician showed up on the doorstep of Doug McCallister (played by Black) to share her enthusiasm for his unauthorized remake of Anaconda and offer him an opportunity to direct the actual reboot.
She was not the only original star of the 1997 cult classic who appeared in the new film. Ice Cube also made an appearance in the climax to help the main characters kill the snake in the wrecked film set.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, director Tom Gormican revealed that Lopez's scene was only shot one month before the film's release, since they weren't able to bring her in during principal photography due to scheduling issues.
"That was also a product of reshoots. We tried to get it as part of principal photography, but we couldn’t make schedules coordinate. We had always wanted a version of her to come in, and we talked about it and talked about it and talked about it. I was finally able to shoot her cameo a month ago on November 17. It was the very last thing we did," he said.
"I was finishing up my final mix when I went to shoot it, and I dropped it into this [mid-credit] sequence that I was having built to accommodate it. I never thought it was going to ultimately materialize, but it did, and we put it together. So it happened very, very late in the game, but we did have the idea a long time ago."
What is Anaconda (2025) About?
The film follows Doug and Griff, who have been best friends since they were kids and have always dreamed of remaking their all-time favorite movie. When a midlife crisis pushes them to finally go for it, they head deep into the Amazon to start filming.
However, things get real when an actual giant anaconda appears, turning their comically chaotic movie set into a deadly situation. The movie they’re dying to make? It might just get them killed.
Aside from Black and Rudd, the cast also includes Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, Daniela Melchior, and Selton Mello. Gormican directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Kevin Etten.
It was released in theaters last December 25, as part of the holiday movie season slate. It currently has a Rotten Tomatoes critics' score of 51%.
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