While many horror movies claim to be based on true stories, there are few as truly outlandish as Cocaine Bear. Based on the true events surrounding a female American black bear who overdosed on a smugglers’ stash of cocaine in 1985, the 2023 black comedy horror movie combined an incredible cast of acting, writing, directing, and producing talent to bring the story to life on the big screen. As outrageous as the story might seem, the fact that it was directly based on true events only helped the movie to secure considerable success, becoming a hugely underrated horror comedy in the process. Now, it would seem that an unlikely sequel might just be in the works.
During an appearance on The Town with Matthew Beloni, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were asked about the status of a Cocaine Bear sequel, and their reaction was surprisingly telling. “Possible. Possible. Written,” was all the duo had to say. The follow-up question regarded a possible title for a sequel, to which they simply replied: “Can’t say because it exists.” When pressed for more details about whether it would be another drug and another animal, they chose instead to pass, giving nothing more away other than the sequel is already written. Whether or not it’s another killer animal movie, it certainly seems that fans of Cocaine Bear will get to see a follow-up to the excellent horror-comedy.
While the movie might already have become known as an underrated gem, Cocaine Bear‘s box office success has likely been a key element in securing a sequel. However, looking at the talent behind the movie, including Phil Lord and Christopher Miller serving as producers and Elizabeth Banks directing, highlights that it wasn’t just the exceptional cast that made Cocaine Bear a success. Not all of its characters might have survived their ordeal with the drug-fuelled ursid, but there is still some scope for a direct follow-up featuring the return of some of Cocaine Bear‘s cast. Interestingly, this isn’t the only possible route for a sequel to take.
Of course, the most obvious Cocaine Bear follow-up would be a direct sequel that picks up the story of the first film’s surviving characters. However, there is also the potential to make a second movie more of a spiritual sequel, recapturing the outrageous true-story comedy tone of Cocaine Bear by adapting the events of other real-life cases involving dangerous animals in bizarre circumstances. Guessing at which specific story the Cocaine Bear sequel could adapt would be pointless, as there are countless potential narrative routes the follow-up might take, but this only serves to outline why a second movie is a far better idea than it might seem at a glance.
As Cocaine Bear spawned an array of low-budget and low-quality imitations, it’s clear that audiences are still willing to engage with outrageous killer animal stories. What’s more, terrifying but funny horror movies still work as well as ever at the box office, so there’s already a well-worn cinematic niche for a sequel to fall into. Also, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s apparent involvement in the sequel lends it an additional air of excitement, as their cinematic track record remains exemplary. While specific details on the sequel might not yet be available, just the confirmation that a follow-up to Cocaine Bear has been written is amazing news for fans of the underrated black comedy horror.
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