'Cocaine Bear' Trailer Drops With Viral Reception, Proving Cinema Is Not Dead

In what may go down as one of the most iconic moments of 21st-century cinema and culture, Universal Studios released the long-awaited trailer for its upcoming film Cocaine Bear to much fanfare and viral attention.

I'm the bear who ate cocaine. This is my story. pic.twitter.com/txBSiUl5hL

— Cocaine Bear (@cocainebear) November 30, 2022

The film is based on the true story of "Pablo Escobear," a black bear which, like the I Fucking Love Cocaine meme bear, ate a bunch of cocaine that fell from the sky and then died.

The real-life cocaine bear, who was discovered dead in the forest with a stomach "packed to the brim with cocaine" reportedly did not attack people like the bear in the film does. But after its death, the taxidermied body of the animal became a kind of local icon and media sensation.

In 1985, a drug smuggler threw $15M of cocaine from his airplane into a national forest in Georgia. The cocaine was found by a black bear who ate all of it, went on a rampage, and then died of a massive overdose. RIP "Pablo Eskobear" pic.twitter.com/jhSxqBPQyS

— WTF Facts (@mrwtffacts) November 28, 2022

Many posters online rejoiced to see the trailer for Cocaine Bear and made predictions about the kind of reception the film might receive. A number of people also thought it gave off Snakes On A Plane energy — another classic and insane animal film.

“And the Oscar goes to … Cocaine Bear.” pic.twitter.com/G4vDyNCEqT

— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) November 30, 2022

snakes on a plane slithered so cocaine bear could run

— Janus Rose (@janusrose) November 30, 2022

Me when the Cocaine Bear takes the cocaine in Cocaine Bear pic.twitter.com/LQrvhqNUFM

— JackWatchMovies (@JackMovies17) November 28, 2022

If there was ever a film begging to be memed, it's Cocaine Bear. Posters quickly answered the call, picturing how they would act strolling up to the ticket booth, much like they did for the upcoming live-action Barbie movie and for the Gentleminions trend earlier this year.

Me waiting in my luxury reclining theater seat for “Cocaine Bear” pic.twitter.com/Tn3ZsnKsYX

— Plathanos 🐝🇩🇴 (@SavinTheBees) November 29, 2022

ONE TICKET TO COCAINE BEAR PLEASE pic.twitter.com/KD5QYGHf8o

— Rubi Rose’s Side Piece (@LonelyStarrr214) November 30, 2022

The film is notably directed by Elizabeth Banks and stars Ray Liotta, who passed away last May, in his final role. Viral TikTok star Scott Seiss is also in the film, delighting many fans.

not much of a "God Guy." but when you learn that Ray Liotta's final, posthumous performance is in a movie called "Cocaine Bear," and that this is his look in it? well, it's hard not to believe there's some divine architecture glistening behind this pale drape we call "reality." pic.twitter.com/42mmQDZaiB

— john (@johnsemley3000) November 30, 2022

Before Ray Liotta died I actually did get to ask him about being in COCAINE BEAR and I’m really glad I did pic.twitter.com/d2zYlwPa6F

— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) November 30, 2022

I told y’all I was in #CocaineBear https://t.co/TMUivePbwt

— Scott Seiss (@ScottSeiss) November 30, 2022

The marketing strategy for the film centers around a Twitter account speaking in the first person as the "Cocaine Bear" himself.

universal's marketing team handling the mario movie and cocaine bear at the same time https://t.co/p6oALFTU95 pic.twitter.com/yf3DsOrJNJ

— 🎄 wyatt 🎁 (@vlzxero) November 30, 2022

First look at the bear in ‘COCAINE BEAR’.

The film follows a bear who ingests a 40 containers of cocaine and goes on a coke-fueled rampage. pic.twitter.com/10pHwGatvd

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) November 30, 2022

Between Cocaine Bear and Barbie, it seems like 2023 will be a great year for film.