Paul Rudd Says Ice Cube Blessing “Anaconda” Is A Heavenly Gift

Paul Rudd likened Ice Cube’s approval of the new Anaconda movie to receiving a blessing from the Pope during the film’s Los Angeles premiere.

Rudd made the comparison while discussing the significance of the original Anaconda star’s endorsement of the 2025 meta reimagining.

“That’s like being blessed by the Pope,” Rudd said at Saturday’s red carpet event, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “You go over, you kiss the ring and he gives you a pat on the head and says, ‘Good job, son.’”

The new Anaconda is both a reboot and a spiritual sequel to the 1997 cult classic starring Ice Cube, Jennifer Lopez, and John Voight. In the 2025 version, Jack Black and Rudd play lifelong friends who shoot an ultra-low-budget remake of their favorite movie in the Amazon rainforest.

Ice Cube appears in a comedic cameo role in the new film. The rapper-actor recently revealed he “jumped” at the chance to return to the franchise nearly three decades later. His presence at the December 13 premiere alongside the new cast validated the project for Rudd and his co-stars.

Jack Black told reporters he signed onto the project immediately after learning Rudd was attached.

“The fact that Paul Rudd was attached was like, oh dude, this is a slam dunk,” Black said. The actor praised director Tom Gormican’s previous work on The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent as another factor in his decision.

The cast includes Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, Daniela Melchior, Selton Mello, and Black and Rudd.

Anaconda hits theaters on December 25, 2025.

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