Released only a few years apart, the action-horror movie Anaconda and the sci-fi superhero film The Rocketeer went on to become cult hits in their own right. And now, over three decades later, their paths have crossed again. The recently released Anaconda meta-sequel, in which fans of the original travel to the Amazon to relive its goofy charms, has overtaken The Rocketeer on the all-time global box office charts. Directed by Joe Johnston, The Rocketeer famously underperformed at the box office, but has come to be admired for its homage to the golden era of comic books, and to 1940s Hollywood cinema. It was one of the many movies that Hollywood green-lit after the success of Tim Burton’s Batman, believing that the audience wanted more films about pulp heroes.
In a week of release in theaters worldwide, Anaconda has hit the $50 million milestone, overtaking the $46 million that The Rocketeer ended its run with in 1991. The Rocketeer was headlined by Billy Campbell, with Alan Arkin, Jennifer Connelly, and Timothy Dalton in supporting roles. Earning comparisons to Indiana Jones and Flash Gordon, the movie opened to mostly positive reviews. It’s now sitting at a 67% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “An action-packed, if anachronistic, look back at pulp matinée serials, The Rocketeer may ring hollow with viewers expecting more than simple fun and gee-whiz special effects.” After the film’s box office failure, plans for sequels were abandoned. But over the years, there have been conversations about a reboot of the property. Johnston returned to the superhero genre with another period piece, Captain America: The First Avenger.
The New ‘Anaconda’ Is a Tribute to the Cult Success of the Original
The original Anaconda was released in 1997 to mixed reviews but solid box office returns. The new movie, directed by Tom Gormican and starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd, is a nod to the ironic fan following that it has cultivated over the years. Produced on a reported budget of $45 million, the new Anaconda opened to mixed reviews, and is currently sitting at a 53% score on RT, where the consensus reads, “The premise might be ripe for a raucous action-comedy, but this meta reboot of Anaconda can’t detach its jaws wide enough to swallow so many conflicting tones.”
You can watch the movie in theaters, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Release Date
December 24, 2025
Runtime
100 minutes
Director
Tom Gormican
