10 Great Creature Features to Watch After the ‘Anaconda’ Reboot

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A new Anaconda movie is coming to theaters in 2025, and it’s going for a funny take on the classic story. Starring Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Thandiwe Newton, and Steve Zahn, this reboot updates the original 1997 film featuring Jennifer Lopez and Ice Cube. Unlike previous Anaconda movies, which were straight horror films with diminishing returns, director Tom Gormican is aiming for a more comedic approach.

The new Anaconda movie successfully recreates the thrills of the first film while revitalizing the horror-comedy blend for today’s viewers. It’s not the only monster movie to include humor, using jokes and eccentric characters to lighten the mood. Many similar films either emphasize intense violence or slapstick comedy, creating a fun sub-genre, and the 2025 Anaconda is a great addition that’s sure to entertain and frighten audiences.

10
‘Death of a Unicorn’ (2025)


A24

While Nicolas Cage’s upcoming film Anaconda is getting attention, it’s not the only horror comedy he’s made recently. Earlier this year, he appeared with Jenna Ortega in the lesser-known Death of a Unicorn. This dark comedy centers on a father who brings his daughter on a trip with his wealthy employer, and their accidental collision with a unicorn. What starts as a tragic accident soon turns into a bizarre situation as the billionaire tries to profit from the dead creature‘s magical qualities, sparking ethical dilemmas and, surprisingly, attacks by unicorns.

This A24 horror comedy features a fantastic cast of quirky characters, making it genuinely funny. But it’s also scary – the movie builds real tension as the characters are hunted and killed by enraged unicorns. It’s a unique story where mythical creatures deliver a darkly humorous form of payback to entitled, wealthy people, and the kills are surprisingly creative.

9
‘Snakes on a Plane’ (2006)


New Line Cinema

Before it even came out, Snakes on a Plane became incredibly popular because the title perfectly described the movie’s wild premise. Originally intended as a PG-13 action film with Samuel L. Jackson, the filmmakers actually added more intense scenes after realizing how much attention the title was getting, ultimately making it R-rated. The movie has remained a cult favorite because it fully delivers on its over-the-top promise, offering both thrills and humor despite its silly concept.

Despite its ridiculous premise – a gangster trying to eliminate a witness on a flight by unleashing venomous snakes – Snakes on a Plane fully embraces its over-the-top nature. Though the special effects and acting aren’t always perfect, that actually adds to the film’s charm. Samuel L. Jackson plays into the absurdity, delivering the now-iconic line: “I have had it with these motherfing snakes on this motherfing plane!” A particularly funny TV edit of this line dubs it as: “I have had it with these monkey-fighting snakes on this Monday-to-Friday plane!”

8
‘Arachnophobia’ (1990)


Hollywood Pictures

As a big movie fan, I always enjoy revisiting Arachnophobia. It stars Jeff Daniels as a small-town doctor dealing with a sudden invasion of spiders – seriously, a lot of spiders! John Goodman plays an exterminator who’s… let’s just say enthusiastic about his work. What I really like is that even with all the creepy crawlies, the movie feels surprisingly real. The characters are believable people just trying to cope with something terrifying, which makes it extra effective if you, like me, are even a little bit afraid of spiders. It’s become a bit of a cult favorite over the years, and for good reason – it’s actually really well-made, boasting a fantastic 93

This early 1990s horror movie stands out for its realistic special effects, particularly the creepy and intimidating spiders. Arachnophobia skillfully creates suspense by showing spiders creeping around people’s homes, and it also includes moments of humor to keep the audience from getting too stressed.

7
‘The Invisible Raptor’ (2023)


Well Go USA

Okay, so “The Invisible Raptor” is not your typical monster movie. In fact, you barely see the monster, which sounds weird, but trust me, it totally works! What makes this film shine is its surprisingly funny writing, the great chemistry between the characters, and, yeah, some pretty gruesome kills. Sean Astin is fantastic in this hidden gem, and honestly, it feels like a send-up of monster movies, a bit like “Airplane!” in how it approaches the genre, but it’s not a straight-up parody. There are tons of nods to films like “Jurassic Park” if you’re a dino-movie fan, but it’s doing its own thing. Definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for something a little different.

The Invisible Raptor is a movie about a paleontologist and his friend, a security guard, who try to stop an escaped, invisible dinosaur from causing trouble in their town. The film is filled with over-the-top humor and even acknowledges plot holes – like a character simply disappearing without explanation – as unimportant, all while showcasing some pretty gruesome raptor attacks.

6
‘Piranha 3D’ (2010)


Dimension Films

Piranha 3D is a modern update of the original creature feature film. It follows a school of prehistoric piranhas that attacks a group of people enjoying a holiday weekend at a lake. The movie features a strong cast, including Adam Scott, Elisabeth Shue, Ving Rhames, Jerry O’Connell, Eli Roth, Christopher Lloyd, and Richard Dreyfuss – with Dreyfuss’s role being a nod to his famous character in Jaws.

The recent remake of Piranha has drawn criticism for its excessive nudity, which some viewers might find exploitative. However, the original Piranha and other similar monster movies from that time period also featured this kind of content, and the remake seems to be intentionally echoing that style. It’s a tribute to the low-budget, over-the-top nature of the franchise, complete with exaggerated violence and a playful, humorous tone.

5
‘Eight Legged Freaks’ (2002)


Warner Bros.

Eight-Legged Freaks is a horror comedy where David Arquette fights giant, mutated spiders that invade a quiet desert town. The film, released in the early 2000s, also stars a young Scarlett Johansson, well before she was dodging dinosaurs in Jurassic World. Eight-Legged Freaks pays homage to classic monster movies from the 1950s and 60s, updating those familiar ideas with a comedic twist.

When Eight-Legged Freaks first came out, it didn’t get the recognition it deserved, as many people missed its clever references to classic monster movies. But over time, it’s gained a dedicated fanbase who love its funny scares, giant spiders, and old-school vibe. Scarlett Johansson’s popularity has also led new viewers to discover this enjoyable, campy horror film.

4
‘Moose: The Movie’ (2015)


Sons of Winter Productions

Moose, originally released as Moose: The Movie, is a little-known but fun movie for anyone who enjoys silly monster films. It’s about a park ranger in Alaska who starts looking into some strange deaths that seem to be caused by animals. He soon discovers the real culprit is a creature that looks like a moose and is terrorizing the town.

I’m really enjoying Moose! It’s not a big-budget show with famous actors, but honestly, that’s part of its charm. The town and its quirky residents are fantastic, and the whole concept is just so fresh and funny. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is great, and the show really leans into its wild premise with some surprisingly funny – and sometimes gory – moments. Plus, the creature design is totally unique; I’ve never seen anything like it before!

3
‘Cocaine Bear’ (2023)


Universal Pictures

The movie Cocaine Bear is unusual because it’s based on a real event. However, the actual incident was far less dramatic – a bear died after accidentally eating cocaine. The film imagines a much wilder scenario, with the bear going on a rampage and causing chaotic, funny deaths before its demise.

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The movie Cocaine Bear is delightfully ridiculous from beginning to end, throwing drug dealers, park rangers, and hikers into a chaotic situation with a drug-fueled bear. It fully embraces its over-the-top idea, blending classic B-movie thrills with impressive special effects, plenty of gore, and a surprisingly dark sense of humor, making it a successful and entertaining creature-feature comedy.

2
‘Lake Placid’ (1999)


20th Century Fox

I have a soft spot for Lake Placid – it’s just a fun, silly ride! The movie centers around a crocodile terrorizing a lake in Maine, and honestly, the cast is what really makes it work. Bill Pullman, Brendan Gleeson, and especially Betty White are hilarious, delivering some seriously witty lines while this croc is causing chaos. Speaking of Betty White, her role as the salty, no-nonsense woman who basically just… feeds the crocodile? It’s iconic and one of her best, in my opinion.

This amusing monster movie doesn’t try to be scary or dramatic, but still manages to deliver genuine frights and mostly convincing practical effects, along with the usual monster-movie mayhem. Lake Placid really works because of the funny, combative relationships between the characters, who are all quirky and cause just as much trouble for each other as the crocodile does.

1
‘Tremors’ (1990)


Universal Pictures

I absolutely love Tremors – it’s one of the best horror comedies ever! It stars Kevin Bacon and is about this small town that gets terrorized by these huge worms that live underground. What’s really cool is that it feels like a throwback to those older, classic monster movies, but it fully leans into that ‘B-movie’ vibe and it just works.

I absolutely love Tremors! It’s such a great mix of funny moments and genuinely scary deaths, and the monsters are just so unique – they really stick with you. What makes it even better is the humor is actually smart, and the creature effects are fantastic – they did everything practically, which is awesome! Plus, the townspeople are such memorable characters; they really bring the whole story to life. It didn’t do amazingly in theaters at first, but it became huge when it came out on video, and that’s why we’ve gotten so many fun sequels over the years!

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2025-12-25 18:38