Cocaine Bear is a forthcoming American thriller film written and directed by Jimmy Warden and produced by Elizabeth Banks. Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Ray Liotta, Alden Ehrenreich, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Kristofer Hivju, Margo Martindale, Christian Convery, Brooklynn Prince, and Scott Seiss are portrayed in the film.
It is based on the true incident of a black bear in the United States that consumed a duffel bag full of cocaine in 1985. It will be one of Liotta’s final films and the first to be released following his death in May 2022.
Cocaine Bear Release Date
Cocaine Bear will be released on Friday, February 24, 2023. (Nationwide release).
Cocaine Bear: Cast List
- Keri Russell
- Ray Liotta
- Christian Convery
- Alden Ehrenreich
- Kristofer Hivju
- O’Shea Jackson Jr.
- Ice Age: Collision Course, Ivy & Bean
- The Turning, The Angry Birds Movie 2
- Margo Martindale
Who’s making Cocaine Bear: Crew List
A look at the staff and production team behind the scenes of Cocaine Bear. Elizabeth Banks has previously directed Charlie’s Angels and Pitch Perfect 2.
Cocaine Bear Plot
A huge black bear swallows the contents of a duffel bag containing cocaine that a local drug courier dropped from an airplane.
Cocaine Bear Movie Trailer
Cocaine Bear Production
The film is inspired by the true incident of a 175-pound American black bear that died in December 1985 after consuming a duffel bag full of cocaine. Andrew C. Thornton II, a former narcotics officer, and convicted drug smuggler dumped the cocaine from his aircraft because it was carrying too much weight. In northern Georgia, the bear was discovered with 40 opened plastic packets of cocaine.
In December of 2019, it was revealed that Phil Lord and Christopher Miller would produce an untitled film based on a genuine story. The film was to be co-directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett based on a spec narrative by Jimmy Warden. Universal Pictures confirmed the film’s development on March 9, 2021.
It was also confirmed that the picture would be directed by Elizabeth Banks and produced by Banks, Max Handelman, Lord, Miller, and Aditya Sood for Lord Miller Productions, together with Brian Duffield. From July through August of 2021, the ensemble cast was announced.
The principal photography took place between August 20 and October 17, 2021, in Wicklow, Ireland.
Universal’s Elizabeth Banks-Directed Thriller ‘Cocaine Bear’
Monday, Universal announced that Elizabeth Banks’ second film as a filmmaker, Cocaine Bear, will be released on February 24, 2023.
The cast of the film includes Keri Russell (The Americans), Margo Martindale (The Americans), Ray Liotta (The Many Saints of Newark), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story), O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Outta Compton), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family), Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones), Kahyun Kim (American Gods), Christian Convery (Sweet Tooth), Brooklynn Prince
Cocaine Bear is based on the true event of a 1985 plane disaster involving a drug runner, missing cocaine, and a black bear that ate it. In the film, a motley assortment of cops, criminals, tourists, and teenagers converge in a Georgia forest where a 500-pound apex predator has consumed a stupefying amount of cocaine and gone on a coke-fueled rampage seeking more blow… and blood.
The screenplay was written by Jimmy Warden, and the producers are Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and Aditya Sood for Lord Miller. In addition, Banks, Max Handelman, and Brian Duffield produce for their Brownstone Productions. Nikki Baida and Robin Fisichella served as executive producers.
Cocaine Bear is the lone major studio release on February 24, after Disney’s The Marvels on February 17, and before Paramount’s Dungeons & Dragons on March 3.