# Cocaine Bear

> 2023 film directed by Elizabeth Banks

**Wikidata**: [Q105840301](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105840301)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocaine_Bear)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cocaine-bear

## Summary
Cocaine Bear is a 2023 dark comedy thriller film directed by Elizabeth Banks, inspired by the true story of a 400-pound black bear that ingested cocaine from a smuggler's duffel bag in 1985. The film blends elements of action, crime, and satire, starring Keri Russell, Ray Liotta, and Alden Ehrenreich. It premiered in the United States on February 24, 2023, grossing over $87 million worldwide.

## Key Facts
- **Release Date**: February 24, 2023 (U.S.), February 23, 2023 (Ireland), March 15, 2023 (Netherlands)
- **Director**: Elizabeth Banks
- **Genre**: Dark comedy, thriller, action, crime
- **Production Company**: Universal Pictures
- **Country of Origin**: United States
- **Runtime**: 95 minutes
- **Box Office**: $87.7 million (worldwide)
- **IMDb ID**: tt14209916
- **Rotten Tomatoes Score**: 66% (Tomatometer), 54% (Audience Score)
- **Based on**: True events from 1985 involving a cocaine-laden bear in Georgia
- **Starring**: Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Ray Liotta, Alden Ehrenreich, Isiah Whitlock Jr.
- **Filming Locations**: Ireland (standing in for Georgia)
- **Budget**: $30–35 million
- **Wikipedia Sitelinks**: 33 language editions
- **Music**: Score by Christopher Lennertz; soundtrack includes "White Lines (Don’t Do It)" by Grandmaster Melle Mel

## FAQs
**What inspired Cocaine Bear?**  
The film is loosely based on the 1985 true story of Andrew Thornton II, a cocaine smuggler whose duffel bag was found by a black bear in Fentress, Georgia. The bear died from ingesting nearly 40 packets of cocaine.

**Who stars in Cocaine Bear?**  
The ensemble cast includes Keri Russell, Ray Liotta (in one of his final roles), Alden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson Jr., and Isiah Whitlock Jr.

**How was Cocaine Bear received critically and commercially?**  
The film holds a 66% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, with praise for its absurd humor and action but criticism for pacing. It grossed $87.7 million worldwide against a $30–35 million budget, performing modestly at the box office.

**Where was Cocaine Bear filmed?**  
Principal photography took place in Ireland, which doubled for the U.S. state of Georgia. Specific locations included Dublin and Wicklow.

**What themes does Cocaine Bear explore?**  
The film satirizes 1980s excess, drug culture, and suburban ennui, blending over-the-top violence with dark comedy.

## Why It Matters
Cocaine Bear stands out for its audacious premise, merging a bizarre true crime story with exaggerated action-comedy tropes. It revitalizes interest in an obscure historical event while showcasing Elizabeth Banks’ versatility as a director of genre-blending films. The movie also serves as a cultural artifact of early 2020s cinema, reflecting trends toward absurdist humor and nostalgia for 1980s aesthetics. Its modest box office success underscores the appeal of mid-budget, R-rated comedies in a franchise-dominated market.

## Notable For
- **Genre Hybrid**: Unique blend of dark comedy, thriller, and action elements.
- **True Story Adaptation**: One of few films dramatizing the 1985 "Cocaine Bear" incident.
- **Ray Liotta’s Final Roles**: Released posthumously as one of Liotta’s last performances.
- **Practical Effects**: Extensive use of a robotic bear prop for key scenes.
- **Cult Following**: Developed a dedicated fanbase for its campy, over-the-top tone.
- **Ireland Filming**: Notable for using Irish landscapes to depict the U.S. South.

## Body

### Production Background
Cocaine Bear was directed by Elizabeth Banks, known for *The Hunger Games* and *Pitch Perfect 2*, and written by Jimmy Warden. Produced by Universal Pictures, the film was shot in Ireland over 40 days, with a budget estimated between $30–35 million. The script drew inspiration from a 1985 *Kentucky for Kentucky* magazine article about the true events.

### Release and Box Office
The film premiered in Ireland on February 23, 2023, followed by a U.S. release on February 24. It expanded to the Netherlands on March 15. Despite mixed reviews, it grossed $87.7 million worldwide, with $41.8 million from domestic markets. Its performance was bolstered by strong word-of-mouth and social media buzz around its absurd premise.

### Themes and Genre
Cocaine Bear merges dark comedy with action-thriller elements, satirizing 1980s drug culture and suburban life. The film’s tone balances gory violence with slapstick humor, earning comparisons to *Zoolander* and *The Nice Guys*. Its R rating allowed for explicit content, including drug use and graphic fight scenes.

### Cultural Impact
The film sparked renewed interest in the true story behind the "Cocaine Bear," which is now a taxidermied exhibit at the Kentucky Fun Mall. Memes and fan art proliferated online, particularly around the robotic bear prop and Ray Liotta’s performance. It also reignited debates about adapting real-life tragedies into entertainment.

### Related Entities
- **Universal Pictures**: Distributed the film as part of its slate of mid-budget comedies.
- **Elizabeth Banks**: Demonstrated her range beyond comedy with action-oriented direction.
- **Ray Liotta**: The film served as a tribute to the late actor, who died in May 2022.
- **1980s Nostalgia**: Part of a wave of 2020s media revisiting the decade’s fashion, music, and culture.

### Technical Specifications
- **Runtime**: 95 minutes (1 hour 35 minutes)
- **Aspect Ratio**: 2.39:1 (widescreen)
- **Sound Mix**: Dolby Cinema, DTS, SDDS
- **Color**: Color film with stylized 1980s-inspired palette
- **Film Stock**: Digital cinematography (Arri Alexa 65)

### Legacy
Cocaine Bear has been cited as an example of "elevated B-movie" filmmaking, blending lowbrow humor with polished production values. Its success influenced greenlit projects for similar genre hybrids, though its long-term cultural impact remains debated. The film’s taxidermied bear prop has become a pop culture icon, symbolizing the intersection of true crime and absurdist comedy.

## References

1. [Source](https://deadline.com/2021/03/elizabeth-banks-cocaine-bear-universal-phil-lord-chris-miller-1234710078/)
2. AlloCiné
3. [Source](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/elizabeth-banks-to-direct-cocaine-bear-horror-comedy-for-phil-lord-chris-miller)
4. IMDb
5. The Movie Database
6. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14209916/technical/)
7. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14209916/releaseinfo/)
8. Terjesztésre kerülő filmalkotások és artfilmek nyilvántartása
9. [Source](https://www.filmratings.com/Search?filmTitle=cocaine+bear&x=0&y=0)
10. [Source](https://www.spio-fsk.de/asp/fskkarte.asp?pvid=406736688)
11. [Source](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/cocaine-bear-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmda4mdu5)
12. [Source](https://www.kijkwijzer.nl/films/cocaine-bear/)
13. Entertainment Identifier Registry
14. [Source](https://www.cnc.fr/professionnels/visas-et-classification/159146)
15. [Source](https://sede.mcu.gob.es/CatalogoICAA/info/202322/1/34/209.pdf)
16. [Source](http://cncinema.abt.ro/filme)
17. Bechdel Test Movie List
18. [Source](http://www.ifco.ie/en/ifco/pages/5074AAB500468ACE)
19. FilmVandaag.nl