Cocaine Bear 

is an upcoming American thriller film directed and produced by Elizabeth

Banks and written by Jimmy Warden. It stars Keri Russell, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Alden
Ehrenreich, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Kristofer Hivju, Christian Convery, Brooklynn
Prince, Margo Martindale, and Ray Liotta. It is inspired by the true story of an American
black bear that ingested a duffel bag full of cocaine in 1985. It will be one of the last films
starring Liotta and the first to be released after his death in May 2022.[2]
Cocaine Bear is scheduled to be released in the United States on February 24, 2023,
by Universal Pictures.

Contents

 1Premise
 2Cast
 3Production
 4Release
 5References
 6External links

Premise[edit]
In a Kentucky forest, an American black bear goes on a murderous rampage after
unintentionally ingesting cocaine.

Cast[edit]
 Keri Russell as Colette Matthews
 O'Shea Jackson Jr. as Howard
 Ray Liotta as Dentwood
 Alden Ehrenreich as Marty
 Jesse Tyler Ferguson
 Kristofer Hivju
 Margo Martindale
 Christian Convery
 Brooklynn Prince
 Scott Seiss
 Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Bob
 Shane Connellan as Ray
 Kahyun Kim

Production[edit]
The titular "cocaine bear" in Lexington, Kentucky, (left) and director Elizabeth Banks (right).

The film is inspired by the real story of a 175-pound American black bear that died after
ingesting a duffel bag full of cocaine in December 1985. The cocaine was dropped out from
an airplane piloted by Andrew C. Thornton II, a former narcotics officer and convicted drug
smuggler, because his plane was carrying too heavy a load. Thornton then jumped off the
plane with a faulty parachute and died. The bear was found three months later in northern
Georgia alongside 40 opened plastic containers of cocaine.[3][4] The bear is currently on
display at the Kentucky for Kentucky Fun Mall in Lexington, Kentucky.[5]
In December 2019, it was announced that Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were producing
an untitled project inspired by the true story. The film was going to be co-directed by Matt
Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, from a spec script written by Jimmy Warden.[6] On March 9,
2021, Universal Pictures announced that the film was in development. It was also
confirmed that the film would instead be directed by Elizabeth Banks, and produced by
Banks and Max Handelman for Brownstone Productions, who joined the producing team
alongside Lord, Miller, and Aditya Sood for Lord Miller Productions, and Brian Duffield.[7]
[8]
 The ensemble cast was revealed between July and August 2021.[9][10]
Principal photography took place in Wicklow, Ireland, between August 20 and October 17,
2021.[11][12][13]

Release[edit]
The film is scheduled to be theatrically released on February 24, 2023, by Universal
Pictures.[14]

References[edit]
1. ^ "Natalie Holt Scoring Elizabeth Banks'  Cocaine Bear".  Film Music Reporter.
February 14, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
2. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (May 26, 2022). "Ray Liotta Finished Filming  Cocaine Bear  and
Apple's True-Crime Series  Black Bird  Before Death".  Variety. Retrieved May
28, 2022.
3. ^ Massie, Graeme (March 10, 2021).  "True story of infamous bear who consumed
duffel bag of cocaine to get Hollywood treatment".  The
Independent. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved March
10, 2021.
4. ^ "Cocaine and a Dead Bear".  The New York Times. December 23,
1985. Archived from the original on March 11, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
5. ^ Rabon, Gabrielle (April 25, 2021).  "Cocaine Bear: The True Story Behind the
Ultimate Party Animal".  Backpacker. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022.
Retrieved  June 9,  2022.
6. ^ Anderton, Ethan (December 17, 2019).  "Phil Lord & Chris Miller To Produce A
Bear-Driven Horror Comedy From  Ready Or Not  Directors".  /Film.  Archived  from
the original on August 25, 2021. Retrieved  August 25,  2021.
7. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (March 9, 2021). "Elizabeth Banks To Direct  Cocaine
Bear  Thriller For Universal, Phil Lord & Chris Miller".  Deadline
Hollywood.  Archived  from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved  March
10, 2021.
8. ^ Galuppo, Mia (March 9, 2021).  "Elizabeth Banks to Direct  Cocaine Bear  Thriller
for Phil Lord, Chris Miller".  The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on
March 10, 2021. Retrieved  March 10,  2021.
9. ^ Kroll, Justin (July 1, 2021).  "Keri Russell, O'Shea Jackson, Ray Liotta, Alden
Ehrenreich and Jesse Tyler Ferguson To Star in Elizabeth Banks'   Cocaine
Bear  For Universal". Deadline Hollywood.  Archived  from the original on July 1,
2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
10. ^ Grobar, Matt (August 2, 2021). "Margo Martindale, Kristofer Hivju, Christian
Convery, Brooklynn Prince & Others Round Out Cast Of Elizabeth Banks'   Cocaine
Bear". Deadline Hollywood.  Archived  from the original on August 3, 2021.
Retrieved  August 3,  2021.
11. ^ Osterman, Kyle (August 21, 2021). "Elizabeth Banks'  Cocaine Bear  Set Photo
Reveals Movie's Bold Logo As Filming Starts".  Screen Rant.  Archived  from the
original on August 21, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
12. ^ Evans, Chris (July 1, 2021). "Cocaine Bear to double Ireland for Georgia,
US". Kemps Film and TV Production Services Handbook. Archived from the
original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved  October 21,  2021.
13. ^ Malhotra, Rahul (October 17, 2021). "Elizabeth Banks'  Cocaine Bear, Story of
Kentucky's Legendary Pablo EskoBear, Has Wrapped
Filming".  Collider.  Archived  from the original on October 17, 2021.
Retrieved  October 18,  2021.
14. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 2, 2022).  "Universal's Elizabeth Banks Directed
Thriller  Cocaine Bear  Sets Winter 2023 Release". Deadline Hollywood.
Retrieved  May 2, 2022.