Elizabeth Banks Drug-Fueled 'Cocaine Bear' Movie Inspired By Real Events

Based on the true story of a drug-run gone wrong, madness ensues in the upcoming survival thriller 'Cocaine Bear,' which just released its first bloody trailer. After a failed drug smuggling operation, a 500-pound black bear goes on a murderous rampage after unintentionally ingesting large amounts of cocaine. The movie is shockingly inspired by the real life events of Pablo Eskobear - of course the gory exaggerated murder rampage was emphasized to spice things up for the fun horror flick from Universal Pictures. In her latest directorial effort, the thriller is directed and co-produced by Elizabeth Banks, from a screenplay by Jimmy Warden.

The horror comedy survival film features an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists, and teens who converge in a Georgia forest where the drug addcited bear goes on his murderous hunt. The film stars Keri Russell, Margo Martindale, Ray Liotta, Alden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Kristofer Hivju, Kahyun Kim, Christian Convery, Brooklynn Prince and newcomer Scott Seiss. Ray Liotta tragically died during post-production at the age of 67, marking one of his final roles and the last movie released after his death.

While the murderous nature of the movie is an obvious exaggeration of the actual chain of events, “Cocaine Bear” is based on real events that took place in 1985. Cocaine Bear also known as Pablo Eskobear was briefly famous in 1985, when it was found dead after overdosing from eating roughly $15 million worth of coke from a duffle bag dropped from a drug smuggler's airplane. It was discovered three months later next to about 40 plastic containers of cocaine. A convicted drug smuggler named Andrew Carter Thornton II offloaded a duffel bag off an airplane loaded with cocaine over northern Georgia. Thornton was the wealthy son of an elite Kentucky horse-breeding family, who fell to his death when he bailed out of the plane, "hit his head on the tail of the aircraft," and didn't open his parachute until it was too late. Today, the bear is on display at the Kentucky for Kentucky Fun Mall in Lexington, Ky. According to a display at Georgia Bureau of Investigation headquarters (famous for exhibiting the Monkey From Mars), you can find the famous bear displayed and more information on Thornton.

Jimmy Warden penned the screenplay. Producers are Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Aditya Sood for Lord Miller with Banks, Brian Duffield and Max Handelman producing for Brownstone Productions. Robin Fisichella and Nikki Baida also executive produce. Filming took place in Ireland in late 2021.

In Theaters on Feb. 24, 2023. Check out the trailer Here: