The film trailer for Cocaine Bear has stirred up a frenzy among movie enthusiasts.
Now that the movie is being screened in theaters, fans have had the opportunity to experience the film that draws inspiration from an extraordinary real-life event.
Cocaine Bear has exceeded all predictions since its recent debut, generating a remarkable $23 million in box office revenue during its opening weekend in the US.
Boasting a rather intriguing title, what precisely does Cocaine Bear entail?
The film's official synopsis states: "An oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists, and teens converge in a Georgia forest where a 500-pound black bear goes on a murderous rampage after unintentionally ingesting cocaine."
Director Elizabeth Banks' upcoming comedy horror film is based on a true story about a failed drug-smuggling scheme, demonstrating that reality can be more bizarre than fiction.
Andrew Thornton, the primary member of a drug-smuggling organization in Kentucky known as 'The Company,' was situated at the core of the bust. Before becoming the head of the ring, Thornton had worked as a narcotics officer and a lawyer.
The events of that part of the narrative would suffice as the foundation for a movie, but the situation escalated to an even more sensational level in 1985.
During a drug trafficking operation from Colombia, Thornton discarded packets of Class A substances in the vicinity of Blairsville, Georgia, prior to jumping out of an aircraft on autopilot.
Subsequently, his remains were found in the driveway of a private residence in Knoxville. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations proposed that he may have collided with the airplane's tail, failed to activate his parachute, and then plummeted to the ground.
Upon arriving at the location, law enforcement officials uncovered Thornton donning a bullet-resistant vest and footwear manufactured by Gucci.
Thornton was also carrying various items, including night vision goggles, multiple knives, two pistols, a substantial amount of cash, and most notably, a duffel bag containing millions of dollars' worth of cocaine.
However, this particular tale is not the only instance of a duffel bag containing drugs.
In fact, following a three-month-long investigation into the route taken by Thornton's plane, law enforcement personnel discovered a well-known 175-pound black bear deceased in Chattahoochee National Forest, with drugs in its possession.
Several empty packages were found strewn about the creature, leading them to conclude that it had consumed one of the ten duffel bags packed with illegal substances.
It may come as no shock that the bear had consumed a massive 70 pounds of cocaine, leading to a fatal overdose.
In contrast to the movie portrayal where the bear embarks on a killing spree, it appears that the animal met a truly horrendous and swift demise.
Upon examination, the medical examiner discovered that the bear had a multitude of health issues.
"Cerebral haemorrhaging, respiratory failure, hyperthermia, renal failure, heart failure, stroke. You name it, that bear had it," the medical examiner said.
In reality, the bear that ingested the cocaine was taxidermied and is now on display at the Kentucky For Kentucky store located in Lexington.
The sight is truly remarkable, and currently, Cocaine Bear is being exhibited in theaters.
