Is Cocaine Bear Based On A True Story? Elizabeth Banks both directed and coproduced the picture, which is set for release in February 2023. Following its cocaine binge, the bear goes on a murderous rampage in the film.
In reality, the bear was found dead in Chattahoochee National Forest from an overdose, so the conclusion isn’t nearly as shocking.
Is Cocaine Bear Based On A True Story?
‘What is the story behind Cocaine Bear?’ became a common question when the movie trailer went popular online.
The film was inspired by a real black bear that consumed a large amount of cocaine but otherwise bore little resemblance to reality. What happened to the bear, who became known as “Pablo Eskobar,” and whether or not any actual people were hurt by the Cocaine Bear are revealed below.
When And Where Did Cocaine Bear Happen?
Knoxville, Tennessee, and the Chattahoochee National Forest in northern Georgia were both settings for the real-life events that took place that year, 1985. Consistent with this, the film is said to take place in both the Chattahoochee Forest and a nearby Georgia town.
Where Did The Cocaine Come From?
The movie’s protagonist, Andrew Thornton (played by Matthew Rhys), is a narcotics officer and drug dealer who, in September 1985, was traveling with his karate instructor, Bill Leonard, to pick up 400 kilos of cocaine in Columbia (Leonard later claimed he wasn’t made aware of the plan until mid-flight).
Checking the facts, Cocaine Bear discovered that when flying over Florida, they overheard federal officials discussing tracking their jet on the radio. The two men considered jumping at that point.
First, three duffel bags of cocaine were tossed from the Cessna 404, and then Thornton was able to secure the fourth bag to his person. About 35 kg were inside.
He also sewed a nylon satchel onto his person, which held two pistols, a survival knife, and about $4,500 in cash in addition to the night vision goggles.
Source: History Vs Hollywood
Thornton and his companion Bill Leonard planned to skydive after Thornton gave Leonard a four-minute crash course in skydiving, then let the plane fly on autopilot until it crashed, evading the federal officers who had been following them.
When Leonard leaped out of the plane, his parachute deployed immediately. Unfortunately for Thornton, he was unable to get his parachute to open correctly, most likely as a result of the extra weight the cocaine added to his frame.
In a free fall, he crashed to the ground and was killed instantly. The body of Andrew Thornton was found in the driveway of South Knoxville homeowner Fred Myers, not far from Island Home Airport in Knoxville.
In the film, Thornton wore a bulletproof vest with khakis and Gucci loafers. It was more than 60 miles away, on Tusquitee Bald Mountain in Clay County, North Carolina, where the jet went down. Thornton’s pocket included a key that matched the tail number of the wrecked Cessna.
Officers from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation began searching for more of Thornton’s cocaine packages after discovering the duffel bag with 35 kilograms beside his death.
In the Chattahoochee National Forest in northern Georgia three months later, in December 1985, they discovered a dead black bear next to a duffel bag. To quote the Knoxville News Sentinel.
Andrew Thornton’s body was discovered in a driveway in South Knoxville in September 1985. Above, investigators and EMS workers are preparing to relocate the body. Near the end of the film, the simulated crime scene becomes apparent.
Are The Characters In Cocaine Bear Based On Real People?
Only Matthew Rhys’ Andrew C. Thornton II, a corrupt narcotics officer and the ringleader of the Kentucky drug smuggling gang known as The Company, appears to be based on a true person. After returning from a smuggling run in Colombia, Thornton attempted to parachute from his jet, but he was killed in the process.
Actor Matthew Rhys is married to Keri Russell, who plays Colette Matthews in the film. Russell has starred in Felicity and The Americans. In addition to, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Alden Ehrenreich, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Margo Martindale, and the late Ray Liotta all played imaginary characters.
What Is The Release Date Of Cocaine Bear?
Movies coming out in 2023 are about to get a whole lot more exciting, so get ready with your buddies. Cocaine Bear is scheduled to hit theatres on February 23, 2023, according to Deadline. I know we all secretly hoped it would be released in 2022, but I can wait the extra few months for this insane thrill experience.
How could anyone have predicted that the first day of the new year would include a bear filled with such irrational rage? Not me! As crazy as this place is, that’s why I’m here.
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