Elizabeth Banks’ directorial outing Cocaine Bear will stomp into theaters nationwide on Feb. 24, 2023, Universal announced Monday.
Featuring a broad cast, the thriller is inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine and the burly black bear that ate it.
Cocaine Bear follows an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens converging in a Georgia forest where a 500-pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of the white powder and goes on a coke-fueled rampage seeking more blow — and blood.
The cast is led by Keri Russell, her fellow The Americans star 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.
The film is loosely based on reporting by The New York Times. Banks directed from a screenplay by Jimmy Warden.
Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Aditya Sood are producing for Lord Miller. Brian Duffield is also producing, alongside Banks and Max Handelman for their Brownstone Productions banner, which previously produced the Pitch Perfect franchise for Universal. Robin Fisichella will executive produce.
Banks’ previous directing credits include Pitch Perfect 2 for Universal and Charlie’s Angels 2 for Sony.
