‘Cocaine Bear:’ Everything About The Wild Film

If you haven't seen the wild trailer yet for the "inspired by true events" thriller-comedy Cocaine Bear, you're in for a wild ride. Ray Liotta's final acting role sees him starring in this Elizabeth Banks-directed film. He plays a drug smuggler by the name of Dentwood. Liotta's character is based on real convicted drug smuggler Andrew Thornton, who offloaded a duffel bag of cocaine over northern Georgia in September of 1985.

Per EW, a 175-pound black bear in Georgia's Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forest then ingested the cocaine and subsequently overdosed. Its body was discovered three months later next to about 88 pounds of cocaine valued at about $20 million. Thornton also died during an attempt to abandon the overloaded plane. His parachute didn't work properly, thanks to the 77 pounds of cocaine strapped to his body. He fell to his death on a driveway of a Knoxville, Tennessee resident. Thornton was wearing a bulletproof vest, Gucci loafers, night vision goggles, and a green army duffel bag containing roughly another $15 million worth of cocaine. He also had $4,500 in cash, 2.8 grams of gold Krugerrands, knives, and two pistols.

The real story is not nearly as gruesome as the trailer is. In 1985 investigators found the torn-up duffel bag of cocaine and the overdosed bear. Gary Garner of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation told the Associated Press at the time, "There's nothing left but bones and a big hide." In the four-week timespan from when the bear ate the cocaine and investigators found its body, it is most likely the animal died relatively quickly, high as a kite, with no evidence he terrorized locals on a murderous rampage. Which is what the trailer vividly shows. They're obviously not letting truth get in the way of a great story!

Cocaine Bear hits theaters on February 24, 2023. It stars Keri Russell, Margo Martindale, Alden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Ice Cube, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Kristofer Hivju, Kahyun Kim, Christian Convery, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Brooklynn Prince and newcomer Scott Seiss. Watch the insane trailer below:

Throughout movie history, various dates within them have taken on special meaning thanks to pop culture.

Some dates had crucial roles in the plots of films and helped provide an overall setting. Other dates have become unique one-liners that have become part of the general lexicon. If you're a fan of Mean Girls, there's a specific date you associate with the movie, and it's not its release date. The same can be applied to Back to the Future, The Breakfast Club, Empire Records, Miss Congeniality and more.

Here are ten fictional dates from movies everyone should know.

This is a truly momentous date in all of cinema. October 3 is now unofficially called #MeanGirlsDay across all of social media.

A true red-letter date, indeed. Even if you aren't a Back to the Future superfan, you're still at least aware of the importance of November 5, 1955.

AKA: The day Rocky Balboa ended the Cold War. [Cues John Cafferty's "Hearts on Fire"] In all seriousness, though, did anyone else find it weird Rocky and Adrian didn't bring their son to Russia for the fight?

[Insert "Die Hard is a Christmas movie" rant here.] Again, in all seriousness, it's hard to imagine action film history without this classic, regardless of where you fall in the Christmas film debate.

"Valentine's Day. Bummer." Side note: Hey, the world didn't end! How about that for a silver lining?!

On this fateful day, a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal served detention. Teen films were never the same. We'll never forget about this John Hughes gem.

"We mustn't dwell. No, not today. We can't. Not on Rex Manning day!" Related thought: "Say No More, Mon Amour" is an undeniable bop. If you say otherwise, you're simply lying to yourself.

Honestly, Miss Rhode Island isn't wrong. All you really need is a light jacket. Depending on where you live, you may not even need the jacket! What a perfect date, indeed!

"Perhaps, it's fate today is the fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom." Independence Day is so delightfully over the top, and this scene below perfectly encapsulates its melodrama.

"On August 29, 1997, it's gonna feel pretty f---ing real to you too!" A very dark scene, but on the plus side, there wasn't an apocalypse in reality. So, yay?