A newCocaine Bearfeaturette gives audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Universal’s upcoming horror comedy.Directed by Elizabeth Banks,the film was inspired by the insane true story of a 175-pound American black bear who consumed a duffel bag of cocaine in Northern Georgia in 1985.
Universal previouslyreleased aCocaine Beartrailerin November 2022. The film features an all-star cast that includes Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Christian Convery-Jennings, Alden Ehrenreich, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Brooklynn Prince, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Kristofer Hivju, Hannah Hoekstra, Aaron Holliday, Margo Martindale, and Ray Liotta in one of his last performances before his death in 2022.Cocaine Bearis inspired by a true story, but the plot deviates from reality. The real-life black bear was not known to have killed anyone.
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The newCocaine Bearfeaturette from Rotten Tomatoes opens with Banks as she assures audiences that the titular bear “is going to f*ck some people up.” The short featurette focuses on interviews with several cast members, including Jackson Jr., who talks about the first time he heard about the film, saying it had “a hell of a title.” Cast members Martindale and Russell also describe the film as a “horror-comedy” andthe true story that inspiredCocaine Bearas “insane.” Banks also gives viewers a brief rundown of the real-life story of when notorious drug smuggler Andrew C. Thorton (Matthew Rhys) threw a duffel bag of cocaine out of a plane because he carried too much weight. Producers Lord and Miller explain that the cocaine was supposed to be picked up by a drug dealer (Liotta). Instead it was found by a black bear, who then consumed all 70 pounds of cocaine.
TheCocaine Bearfeaturette continues with Banks explaining her approach to horror-comedy, describing the genres as “two sides of the same coin.” She explained her approach to filmmaking by saying, “I essentially make comedies, then put them in other movies.” Ehrenreich, who’s best known for playing a young Han Solo inSolo: A Star Wars Story, praises Banks as a director, describing her approach as an actor-turned-director as “just wonderful.” The rest of theCocaine Bearfeaturette highlights some of the insane cocaine-fueled action that audiences are in for, as the characters attempt to outwit the 175-pound drug-addicted beast. In addition to her many acting credits, Banks has directed several features, includingPitch Perfect 2and the2019Charlies Angelsrebootstarring actress Kristen Stewart.
Based on the short behind-the-scenes video,Cocaine Bearshould be one of the more outlandish theatrical releases of 2023. Horror comedy has been making a big comeback in recent years. Recent films like last year’sdark culinary comedyThe Menuand A24’s murder-mystery satireBodies Bodies Bodiesare excellent examples of this blended genre, and even prominent horror filmmakers, such as Jordan Peele, have incorporated comedy into the films likeGet OutandNope. Hopefully,Cocaine Bearwill continue this trend of cinematic gallows humour.
Cocaine Bearis scheduled to be released in theaters on July 16, 2025.
