Paul Rudd: Anaconda #1 on Netflix & Office Advice to Carell

Paul Rudd Is Everywhere Right Now: 'Anaconda' Hits Netflix #1 and a Surprising 'Office' Story Resurfaces

Paul Rudd is dominating the entertainment conversation this week — and for two very different reasons. His meta-comedy film Anaconda, co-starring Jack Black, climbed to the #1 spot on Netflix's U.S. movie rankings on March 26, 2026, giving the theatrical release a second life on streaming. Meanwhile, a newly surfaced anecdote from a podcast appearance by Steve Carell has revealed a fascinating piece of Hollywood history: Rudd once urged Carell not to audition for the U.S. version of The Office — the role that would make Carell a household name. Together, these two stories have made Rudd one of the most searched names in entertainment right now.

'Anaconda' Reaches #1 on Netflix — What Is This Film?

If you haven't seen Anaconda yet, here's what you need to know. The 2025 comedy was released in theaters on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025, and directed by Tom Gormican. It stars Paul Rudd and Jack Black as two friends who hatch a scheme to remake the campy 1997 creature feature Anaconda — and end up encountering a very real giant anaconda in the Amazon rainforest. The premise is as gloriously absurd as it sounds, and audiences have largely loved it for exactly that reason.

The supporting cast is no slouch either, featuring Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, and Daniela Melchior alongside the two leads. The film leans hard into self-aware, meta humor — it's not just a snake movie, it's a movie about making a snake movie, which gives Rudd and Black ample room to riff and improvise.

Commercially, Anaconda performed solidly at the box office, earning just under $135 million globally — roughly $65 million domestically and $70 million internationally. That's a respectable run for a mid-budget comedy in today's theatrical landscape. Now on Netflix, it's reaching an entirely new audience and leading the platform's charts.

Critics vs. Audiences: The Rotten Tomatoes Divide

One of the more interesting stories around Anaconda is its split reception on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics have not been kind — the film holds a 48% critics' score, with many reviewers finding the meta-humor too thin or the plot too lightweight to sustain a feature-length runtime. But audiences tell a completely different story.

The film's Popcornmeter audience rating sits at 75%, suggesting that everyday viewers are finding exactly what they came for: a fun, unpretentious comedy with two charismatic leads who clearly enjoy working together. This kind of critics-versus-audience divide is not uncommon for broad comedies, and in the streaming age it often matters less what critics think than whether a film delivers on its promise of entertainment. For a movie about Paul Rudd and Jack Black fighting a giant snake in the Amazon, Anaconda seems to be delivering exactly that.

The Netflix bump is further proof that audience word-of-mouth can carry a film well beyond its theatrical window. What underperforms with critics can absolutely thrive when given the low-stakes, couch-comfortable environment of streaming.

The Untold Story: Paul Rudd Told Steve Carell Not to Audition for 'The Office'

While Anaconda is driving Rudd's trending status on one front, a completely separate story has captured just as much attention. On March 25, 2026, Steve Carell appeared on Amy Poehler's podcast Good Hang and dropped a piece of early-2000s Hollywood history that nobody saw coming.

According to Carell, when the opportunity arose to audition for the American adaptation of The Office — the role of Michael Scott — Paul Rudd advised him not to bother. Rudd's reasoning, presumably, had something to do with the difficulty of following in the footsteps of Ricky Gervais, whose performance as David Brent in the UK original was already considered one of the great comedic achievements of that era.

Carell also revealed that he deliberately never watched the UK version of The Office before taking on the role of Michael Scott. His reasoning was strategic: he didn't want Gervais's portrayal to influence his performance in any way. He wanted to build Michael Scott from the ground up rather than risk delivering a pale imitation of something already beloved. In retrospect, that instinct paid off. The U.S. version of The Office went on to win multiple Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series, and Carell's Michael Scott is now considered one of the most iconic characters in American television history.

It's a remarkable story — the idea that one piece of friendly advice, had it been followed, might have kept one of TV's most beloved characters from ever existing. Carell's candid recounting of Rudd's advice has gone viral among fans of both actors and The Office alike.

Paul Rudd and Jack Black: A Comedy Partnership That Works

It's worth stepping back to appreciate why the Rudd-Black pairing in Anaconda felt so natural to audiences from the start. Both actors have spent decades cultivating a specific brand of likable, self-deprecating comedy. Rudd, famous for his work in the Ant-Man franchise, Clueless, Knocked Up, and This Is 40, has built a reputation as one of Hollywood's most genuinely charming performers — a man who, somehow, never appears to age. Black, meanwhile, has delivered unforgettable work in School of Rock, the Kung Fu Panda franchise, and High Fidelity.

Put the two together in a movie that doesn't take itself seriously, set them loose in the Amazon, and add a giant anaconda — it's a concept designed for exactly the kind of crowd-pleasing entertainment that tends to thrive on Netflix. The fact that the film is about remaking a movie adds an extra layer of knowing humor that appeals to film-literate viewers who grew up watching the original 1997 creature feature.

What This Week Says About Paul Rudd's Enduring Appeal

What's striking about Rudd's current cultural moment is how effortlessly it spans two completely different eras of his career. On one hand, you have a brand-new Netflix hit cementing his status as a reliable comedy headliner in 2026. On the other, you have a decades-old anecdote resurfacing to remind people just how deeply embedded he is in the history of television comedy — even if his role in that history was an inadvertent one.

Rudd has spent over three decades in Hollywood without ever really becoming the kind of star who burns too bright and fades. He transitions between blockbusters and indie comedies, dramatic roles and broad humor, with unusual ease. Whether he's playing a superhero, a romantic lead, or a man chasing an anaconda through the Amazon with Jack Black, audiences show up. That kind of sustained appeal is rare, and this week is a good reminder of exactly why Rudd remains one of the most watchable performers working today.

Frequently Asked Questions About Paul Rudd

What is Paul Rudd's new movie on Netflix?

Paul Rudd's film Anaconda (2025) is currently #1 on Netflix's U.S. movie rankings as of March 26, 2026. The movie co-stars Jack Black and is a meta-comedy about two friends who attempt to remake the 1997 film Anaconda and encounter a real giant snake in the Amazon. It was directed by Tom Gormican and originally released in theaters on December 25, 2025.

How much did 'Anaconda' make at the box office?

Anaconda earned just under $135 million globally — approximately $65 million domestically and $70 million internationally. Despite a mixed critical reception (48% on Rotten Tomatoes), it scored a 75% audience rating on the platform and has now found a large second audience on Netflix.

Did Paul Rudd really tell Steve Carell not to audition for 'The Office'?

Yes. Steve Carell revealed this story on Amy Poehler's podcast Good Hang on March 25, 2026. Carell said that Paul Rudd urged him not to audition for the U.S. version of The Office in the early 2000s. Carell ignored the advice, deliberately avoided watching the UK original to stay uninfluenced, and went on to play Michael Scott — a role that earned him Emmy nominations and made the show a cultural institution.

Why didn't Steve Carell watch the UK version of 'The Office'?

Carell has explained that he intentionally avoided watching the original UK series, starring Ricky Gervais, so that Gervais's performance wouldn't influence how he built the character of Michael Scott. He wanted his portrayal to be original rather than derivative of an already iconic performance.

Who else is in the 'Anaconda' movie with Paul Rudd and Jack Black?

The supporting cast of Anaconda (2025) includes Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, and Daniela Melchior alongside the two leads.

The Bottom Line

Paul Rudd is having a genuinely great week. Anaconda topping Netflix's charts proves that the right star pairing — Rudd and Black, specifically — can turn a broad, self-aware comedy into a streaming phenomenon even months after its theatrical run. And the Steve Carell anecdote is a reminder that Rudd's fingerprints are on some of the most important chapters in modern American comedy, even when he was advising people to walk away from them. Whether you're watching him dodge a giant snake or revisiting The Office knowing what almost didn't happen, Paul Rudd is the kind of entertainer whose appeal is simply hard to escape.