Cocaine Bear (Produced By Phil Lord and Chris Miller, Directed By Elizabeth Banks)

[CyberpunkCentral]

The Universal project will be produced by Lord Miller.
Elizabeth Banks has found her next directorial project with a bear-centric thriller that has Phil Lord and Chris Miller set to produce.

Universal is behind Cocaine Bear, which is based on an untitled spec written by Jimmy Warden, inspired by events that took place in Kentucky in 1985.

The true story, as reported in 1985 by The New York Times, was that a 175-pound black bear consumed the contents of a duffle bag filled with more than 70 pounds of cocaine that was dropped from an airplane by a local drug smuggler, Andrew Thornton. The bear was later found dead of an apparent drug overdose.

The exact plot details for the film, which is eyeing a summer shoot date, are being kept under wraps.

(Radio Silence — the filmmaking team consisting of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett and Chad Villella that was behind Ready or Not — was set to direct a previous iteration of the project.)

The project will be produced under Lord Miller's first-look pact with Universal. Lord Miller president Aditya Sood brought the project to the studio and will also produce, along with Brian Duffield and Banks and Max Handelman via their Brownstone Productions banner. Executive vp production Matt Reilly and creative executive Christine Sun will oversee the pic on behalf of Universal.

Banks was last behind the camera on the Sony's Charlie's Angels reboot, starring Kristen Stewart. Her other feature directing credit was on Universal franchise film Pitch Perfect 2.

Banks and Brownstone are repped by UTA, Untitled and Ziffren Brittenham.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/he...d-chris-miller

[John1701D]

Where's the thriller part? Does the bear go on a coke fueled rampage like Tony Montana?

[Martoto]

Yeah what's thrilling about discovering the dead body of a poisoned bear?

I guess that's not the story they are going to tell.

[HipsterTrash]

I liked when Radio Silence were behind this. Now...not so much.
Guess this allows them to focus on that class reunion movie.

Edit: I had to look it up. The original logline was that it's a cross between The Good Boys and The Revenant.
Don't think it's going to be that now.

[Darth Marcus]

Source: Deadline

Keri Russell, Ray Liotta, Alden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson and Jesse Tyler Ferguson To Star in Elizabeth Banks’ ‘Cocaine Bear’ For Universal
Justin Kroll - July 1, 2021

EXCLUSIVE: In her second directorial feature for Universal, Elizabeth Banks has set quite the cast, tapping Keri Russell, Ray Liotta, Alden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson and Jesse Tyler Ferguson to star in Cocaine Bear.

Production is set to begin August 23 in Ireland. Jimmy Warden wrote the script that’s described as a character-driven thriller inspired by true events that took place in Kentucky in 1985. Additional information is being kept under wraps.

Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Aditya Sood are producing for Lord Miller. Brian Duffield is also producing as well as Banks and Max Handelman (who produce under their Brownstone Productions banner). Robin Fisichella will executive produce.

EVP Production Matt Reilly and Director of Development Christine Sun will oversee the project on behalf of Universal.

Best known for her roles in Felicity and The Americans, Russell has been busy on the film front in recent years, most recently seen in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker as well as the upcoming horror thriller Antlers directed by Scott Cooper. Liotta can be seen in the Steven Soderbegh thriller No Sudden Move and the upcoming in The Sopranos prequel Many Saints of Newark.

Ehrenreich, best known for his starring role in Solo: A Star Wars Story, most recently was seen in the Peacock series Brave New World. Jackson has been busy on the TV front as of late as he is set to star in the Apple TV+ series Swagger and also has a big role in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series for Disney+. Ferguson is coming off the decade-long run playing Mitchell Pritchett on the ABC sitcom Modern Family.

Russell is represented by WME, Burstein Company, Viewpoint and Sloane Offer. Liotta is represented by Gersh, Authentic Talent and Literary Management and Viewpoint. Ehrenreich is represented by CAA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Relevant, and Felker Toczek Suddleson. Jackson is represented by WME and Ziffren Brittenham LLP. Ferguson is represented by ICM Partners, Gartner Group Entertainment and GGSSC.

[okayflint]

her direction of the most recent Charlie’s angels was all time bad. Which I thought was cool that she got the opportunity to make the film even if it was like crazy bad. Will definitely give this a watch.

[Yeti4928]

The real story behind this is pretty wild.

[JayTL]

I hope it's like Crank but with a bear instead

[kylor]

The Bear of Wall Street

[Darth Marcus]

Filming has started. Per Christopher Miller.

First day of shooting on COCAINE BEAR.
@ElizabethBanks @philiplord

[s2mikey]

Originally Posted by John1701D

Where's the thriller part? Does the bear go on a coke fueled rampage like Tony Montana?

I buried those cocka-rochezz. I never turn on you, Frank!

I mean.... we'll see but I dunno.

[Mikezilla3k]

Just learned of this. I'm game.

[BudBaxter]

This plotline got mentioned on NCIS last week. Stealth promotion?

[samlop10]

Rated R for bloody violence and gore, drug content and language throughout.

The plot for this sounds so crazy I’m hoping it lives up it and it’s as entertaining as it sounds.

[Mikezilla3k]

No trailer yet?

[Bubbles-11]

Originally Posted by Mikezilla3k

No trailer yet?

Probably with Violent Night

[Creed]

[levcore]

Fast and Furious presents Cocaine Bear

[MifuneFan]

How is Nic Cage not a part of this movie.

[dkelly26666]

Ray Liotta is a drug lord in this. RIP....

But it does sound intriguingly weird and I'll check it out if it isn't God-awful.