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Universal’s animated movies have been massive hits on Netflix, and now the streamer is looking to replicate that success with Universal Pictures and Focus Features live-action films.

Netflix and Universal Filmed Entertainment Group have renewed their existing licensing deal for animated films, including those from Illumination and DreamWorks Animation. Beginning with the 2027 slate, Universal’s live-action movies will hit Netflix no later than eight months after their theatrical release — the same existing (and now extended) arrangement for animated.

Currently, Universal’s live-action films head to Amazon Prime Video in that same window.

Here’s how the Netflix/Universal pact works: About four months after a Universal movie is released in theaters, it premieres on Peacock. After four months on the actual NBCUniversal streaming service, the surrogate, Netflix, gets the movie a 10-month exclusivity window — the film will then return to Peacock for the final four months of the predetermined 18-month window.

Netflix customers will be able to add even more Universal movies to their queue with the studio’s live-action titles coming to the streamer in the U.S. starting with the 2027 slate.

Netflix and NBCUniversal’s Universal Filmed Entertainment Group announced a deal to renew their existing licensing deal for animated films from Illumination and DreamWorks Animation. Now, beginning with the 2027 slate, Netflix will have U.S. rights to live-action films from both Universal Pictures and Focus Features “no later than eight months” following their theatrical release.

After the Universal films’ initial premiere on NBCU’s Peacock, Netflix will have a 10-month window during which these films are available only on Netflix — before they return to Peacock. Netflix will also license rights to Universal’s full animation and live-action film slate for additional windows in subsequent years as well as rights to select titles from Universal’s film library, the companies said.

Explore Elizabeth Banks’ Top Movies Definitely, Maybe (2008) – 70% Invincible (2006) – 72% Lovely, Still (2008) – 73% Seabiscuit (2003) – 77% Role Models (2008) – 77% Pitch Perfect (2015) – 81% The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005) – 85% Slither (2006) – 87% Love & Mercy (2014) – 89% The Hunger Games (2012-2015) – 90%

Elizabeth Banks was born on February 10, 1974, in Pittsfield, a small city in western Massachusetts. Her parents, Ann Wallace, a bank employee, and Mark P. Mitchell, a factory worker, have played significant roles in her life.

Her childhood was filled with horses, athletics, and even a nomination for the local Harvest Queen. While playing baseball as a child, Elizabeth broke her leg sliding into third base and was prevented from playing sports for a while.

During that time, she decided to try her hand at acting, and she auditioned for the school play. Even in college, she was often called a “goody-two-shoes,” even though she is quoted as saying, “… every goody-two-shoes has a bad side.”

Elizabeth Banks made her acting debut in the black and...

Juliette Lewis has boarded Alex Prager’s alternative reality debut feature DreamQuil alongside the previously announced Elizabeth Banks and John C Reilly. Also confirmed as joining the project are Kathryn Newton and Sofia Boutella. The futuristic psychological thriller commenced principal photography in Los Angeles this week.

Republic Pictures has already acquired North American rights, with HanWay Films having sold a number of international territories. HanWay will share new material with buyers in Cannes.

Set in the not so distant future, DreamQuil centers on Carol (Banks), a dissatisfied career mother, who is struggling to find real connection within her marriage to Gary (Reilly) and to her child.

Worried that she could be heading towards divorce, Carol leaps at the chance to get her life back on track by signing up for DreamQuil’s unconventional digital wellness retreat. However, things take a sinister turn upon Carol’s homecoming.

Lewis will play Nurse Chapman – the religious,...

Elizabeth Banks and John C. Reilly team up for a psychological thriller, titled DreamQuil. The movie will be the debut of U.S. filmmaker and contemporary artist Alex Prager. Deadline has reported that Paramount’s Republic Pictures has just purchased the North American rights to the film in pre-sales. In addition, HanWay has also closed deals at international markets, which include companies like The Jokers (France), Tfg (Greece), Mars (Turkey), McF (Former Yugoslavia), Arthouse Traffic (Ukraine), Front Row (Middle East), Cinesky (Airlines) and Shaw (Singapore).

The movie has currently commenced filming in LA. And the synopsis, per Deadline, reads, “Set in the not so distant future, pic charts the story of Carol (Banks), a dissatisfied career mother, who is struggling to find real connection within her marriage to Gary (Reilly) and to her child. Worried that she could be heading towards divorce, Carol leaps at the chance to get her...

Exclusive: Republic Pictures has acquired North American rights to Dreamquil, the psychological thriller starring Elizabeth Banks and John C. Reilly.

The pre-sale was negotiated by UTA Independent Film Group and CAA Media Finance with Sejin Croninger, Executive Vice President at Paramount Worldwide Acquisitions.

Filming is now underway in LA on the movie, which marks the debut of U.S. filmmaker and contemporary artist Alex Prager. HanWay will continue sales at the Cannes market next week.

Set in the not so distant future, the movie — which comes amid heightened industry attention on the role of AI — is a cautionary tale about what happens when Artificial Intelligence and automation are integrated into our daily lives.

Banks will play Carol, a dissatisfied career mother, who is struggling to find real connection within her marriage to Gary (Reilly) and to her child. Worried that she could be heading towards divorce, Carol leaps at the...

It's still 2024, but the 2020s have already offered a range of weird, mind-boggling movies for those looking for something out of the ordinary. Beyond filmmakers known for their unorthodox approach, such as David Lynch, Yorgos Lanthimos, and David Cronenberg, there are many up-and-coming filmmakers determined to cause discomfort and surprise viewers with stories that challenge one's perception of the conventional.

By winning the prestigious Best Picture Award in 2023, Everything Everywhere All at Once proved that there's a space for the absurd among the standard type of movie audiences are used to watching. The success of the film certainly inspired filmmakers to come forward with their weirdest ideas while simultaneously prompting viewers to look for fresh movies beyond what the major studios deliver every year.

Cocaine Bear Does Justice to Its Absurd Title (2023)

Cocaine Bear RThriller

Cocaine Bear is a dark comedy/thriller movie based on the true events of a...

Exclusive: Andrew Barth Feldman, Kaia Gerber and Finn Wolfhard round out cast of Sony Pictures’ SNL 1975 (working title), which will be directed by Jason Reitman and based on the real-life behind-the-scenes accounts of the opening episode of Saturday Night Live. Reitman and Gil Kenan penned the script.

Gerber is playing Jacqueline Carlin, Wolfhard will play an NBC page, and Feldman is playing Neil Levy.

On October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. SNL 1975 is the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real time to the infamous words, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”

The screenplay is based on an extensive series of interviews conducted...

The MGM film has grossed a strong $11.9m on release in the US this summer.

Warner Bros has secured UK-Ireland distribution rights to Emma Seligman’s Bottoms, setting a theatrical release date of November 3.

The studio has picked up the UK-Ireland rights from producers MGM.

Bottoms had its world premiere at SXSW in March, before a short festival tour in North America. The high-school comedy follows two outsider best friends who start a self-defence club for women in an attempt to lose their virginities to the cheerleaders they have crushes on.

It is produced by Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman and Alison Small,...

Peacock has reversed course and canceled the second season of its Pitch Perfect TV spinoff Bumper in Berlin, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

The renewal was first announced back in January, after the show’s first six-episode season debuted on Nov. 23, 2022. At the time of the renewal, NBCU said Bumper in Berlin was the streamer’s top comedy series to date, but has not released any viewing data.

The cancellation comes amid Hollywood’s dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, and marks yet another series, alongside the canceled second seasons of Prime Video’s The Peripheral and A League of Their Own, to have the plug pulled during the work stoppage. At the time, A League of Their Own co-creator and star Abbi Jacobson criticized Prime Video’s decision, writing that “to blame this cancellation on the strike is bullshit and cowardly.”

When the WGA strike began on May 2, the...

“Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin” has been canceled at Peacock despite the fact the show was previously renewed for a second season.

The spinoff of the “Pitch Perfect” film franchise originally debuted on Peacock in November 2022 and was renewed in January 2023. According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, the decision was made to cancel the series as the ongoing strikes in Hollywood meant that production was not able to begin as originally scheduled.

The series saw Adam Devine return as Bumper Allen as he moves to Germany to revive his music career when one of his songs becomes big in Berlin. Along with Devine, the cast of Season 1 included Flula Borg, Sarah Hyland, Lera Abova and Jameela Jamil. Per NBCU, the series scored the biggest comedy premiere in Peacock history, as it was watched by more accounts in its launch weekend than any other Peacock Original comedy to date.

Bumper Allen's exploits in Berlin won't be charted on-screen again.

Peacock has canceled Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin, reversing the Season 2 renewal the show landed in January.

Deadline first reported the news, revealing that it was in relation to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

The series joins Prime Video's A League of Their Own and The Peripheral as strike casualties.

At the time of its renewal in January, Peacock claimed the show was watched by more subscribers in its launch weekend than any other original comedy at the time.

"We knew fans of the Pitch Perfect franchise were going to sing the praises of Bumper in Berlin and enjoy seeing a new side of Adam Devine's character," said Susan Rovner, then-Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming.

"Along with our partners at Utv, Megan Amram, Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman crafted an incredibly unique and charming story with new takes on iconic songs.

Exclusive: Peacock is not moving forward with a second season of comedy series Pitch Perfect: Bumper In Berlin. This marks a reversal of the Season 2 renewal for the offshoot from the Pitch Perfect movie franchise, which was announced in early January.

Like was the case of two Prime Video series whose Season 2 renewals were rescinded last month — The Peripheral and A League of Their Own — the cancellation of Bumper In Berlin stems from the length of the work stoppage due to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which have delayed production, creating large gaps between seasons and making shows miss their target release dates.

Bumper In Berlin‘s first season was released in November 2022. The comedy had not started pre-production on Season 2 when the WGA strike began May 2. It has now fallen significantly behind its planned timeline. Such a delay would impact Peacock’s pipeline as there is...

Everyone remembers their first R-rated movie. Maybe you snuck into a theater trying to pass as 17, or maybe your parents didn’t care for censorship. Either way — whether it’s a movie with gore, expletives or nudity — that first experience leaves an impression.

Max Handelman, who co-founded Brownstone Productions with his wife, Elizabeth Banks, recalls watching John Landis’ “Kentucky Fried Movie” and “Animal House” in his youth. His colleague Alison Small, head of film at Brownstone, distinctly recalls watching “White Men Can’t Jump” with her family and seeing “American Pie” in a packed theater with friends.

Now, Handelman and Small have found success trying to rekindle that experience for a new generation of moviegoers, with two of this year’s stand-out R-rated comedies: “Cocaine Bear” and “Bottoms.”

That has been an uphill battle. For years, most R-rated comedies have struggled to connect at the box office, from “Joy Ride” and...

In its second weekend in theaters, MGM and director Emma Seligman’s teen comedy Bottoms broke into the top ten films for the weekend (no. 7) on 715 screens, a major North America expansion from a 10-theater opening last week. An estimated $3 million gross for the three days, and $3.6 million for the four-day Labor Day holiday means the film will continue to expand, with about 1,200 screens planned for next weekend.

Estimated cume to date is $4.3+ million for the $11.3 million-budget title produced by Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman and Alison Small. It’s holding a 95% Fresh rating from critics and a 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes with exit polling continuing strong in week two as it ventured outside the coasts, with organic social buzz and young audiences driving ticket sales.

Meanwhile, A4’s Talk To Me, the low-budget breakout hit from Australian brothers, popular YouTubers and first-time filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou...

MGM’s raunchy high school comedy Bottoms by Emma Seligman, a surprising teen girl version of Fight Club, is punching into a lot more theaters this week, expanding from 10 to 715 nationwide. The numbers so far look solid and MGM might be hoping for anything in the $2.5 million-plus range over the three days.

It had an good start with last weekend’s limited 10-theater opening in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Austin bringing in more than $500,000, one of the best per-theater openings of that size post Covid (even with $4 tickets Sunday). Cume to date tops $724K for the Rachel Sennott- and Ayo Edebiri-starring film that’s got major traction with younger and LGBTQ+ moviegoers.

The duo play queer high-school seniors and longtime best friends Pj and Josie, who start a self-defense club for girls hoping to attract cheerleaders, and to have sex with them. The group...

Emilia Jones (Coda) and Nicholas Braun (Succession) do not appear to be a match made in heaven in the first trailer for Cat Person.

Set for release Oct. 6 from Rialto Pictures, director Susanna Fogel’s feature premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival and is adapted from author Kristen Roupenian’s viral New Yorker short story of the same name. Cat Person offers a look at contemporary dating by focusing on college student Margot (Jones), who has a fling with an older man named Robert (Braun) but soon gets suspicious about him.

After Margot expresses regrets about her time spent with Robert — who had previously described himself as a cat person — her friend Taylor (Geraldine Viswanathan) asks if at least his pet felines were cute. “I never saw them,” Margot replies ominously as she begins to doubt how honest he’s been.

Later in the trailer, Margot concludes nonchalantly,...

Director Elizabeth Banks’ “character-driven thriller” Cocaine Bear (read our review Here, get a copy at This Link) wasn’t exactly a blockbuster – it earned $89 million at the worldwide box office on a budget in the range of 30 to 35 million – but it did get a lot of positive attention when it was released. And I thought it was a blast to watch. So I welcome a Cocaine Bear 2… and during an interview with Rolling Stone, Banks said she would also welcome it.

When asked about the possibility of working on a sequel, Banks told Rolling Stone, “I had an absolutely great time working on the (first movie). I loved how subversive, crazy, silly, and funny it was. I loved surprising people with the cast. I don’t think anybody was expecting Margo Martindale, who’s 70 years old, to shoot that kid. We had a lot fun, and if I got the...

Elizabeth Banks is to lead the cast of the recently greenlit ‘Skincare,’ from Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment and Producers Jonathan Schwartz and Logan Lerman, directed by Austin Peters.

Banks is joined by a supporting cast that includes Lewis Pullman, Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee Michaela Jae Rodriguez, Luis Gerardo Mendez, and Nathan Fillion.

The vanity thriller is set in Hollywood, but any further details on the movie’s plot are being kept under wraps. The screenplay was written by Deering Regan, Sam Freilich and Austin Peters. Production wrapped before the Writers’ strike.

Also in news – Antonio Banderas, Olivia Coleman & more set for ‘Paddington in Peru’

Andrea Iervolino and Lady Monika Bacardi financed and produced the film through their Ilbe banner alongside Logan Lerman and Jonathan Schwartz. ‘Skincare’ is the third film Schwartz and Lerman have collaborated on as producers following A24’s “The Vanishing of Sidney Hall” and Cj Enm’s “Press Play.

The Flintstones is getting an update that's in the works at Fox, and a new update has arrived courtesy of Elizabeth Banks. The Cocaine Bear helmer is executive producing the new Flintstones series, titled Bedrock, which primarily follows an adult Pebbles Flintstone. Banks is also providing the voice of Pebbles for the new cartoon show.

In a recent chat with TVLine, Banks clarifies that Bedrock is "still in development." She added, "I'm also playing Pebbles, excitedly, and we're working on it."

While the animated series follows an older Pebbles, fans shouldn't expect it to be geared toward adult audiences, much in the way Mindy Kaling's Scooby-Doo spinoff Velma had been. Banks says that Bedrock is designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults so families can watch it together. With that said, she teased that the show may have a little bit of edge to it in the...

Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri are literally fighting for a chance to find love at their high school in the first full trailer for the forthcoming comedy Bottoms.

Director Emma Seligman’s feature focuses on Pj (Sennott) and Josie (Edebiri), who start a fight club in an unconventional effort to lose their virginities to two popular cheerleaders. The MGM film hits theaters Aug. 25 after premiering at South by Southwest in March, and its cast includes Kaia Gerber, Havana Rose Liu, Nicholas Galitzine, Dagmara Domińczyk and Marshawn Lynch.

“We teach a bunch of girls how to defend themselves,” Sennott explains to Edebiri in the trailer. “They are grateful to us. Adrenaline is flowing. Next thing you know, Isabel and Brittany are kissing us on the mouths!”

Later in the footage, Edebiri offers words of praise for their fellow schoolmates. “They deserve a shot at showing everybody how fucking cool they are,...

“Shiva Baby” director Emma Seligman is back with her follow-up feature, “Bottoms” and it looks to be a bloody good time. Seligman reteams with Rachel Sennott, who also co-wrote the film, as well as “The Bear” star Ayo Edebiri for a story of two unpopular high school girls who start a school fight club in order to lose their virginity before graduation.

Similar to the road trip comedy “Joy Ride,” coming out in July, the explicit trailer for “Bottoms” revels in not just the blood of a fight club, but the irreverent, crass humor that no doubt will get audiences invested. The cringe humor is also on full display, with the trailer culminating with Edebiri and Sennott having to tell their high school teacher, played hilariously by Marshawn Lynch, that he shouldn’t discuss sexual matters with teenage girls at school.

The last time Sennott and Seligman teamed up it...

From the producer of Pitch Perfect and Cocaine Bear comes the official Red Band trailer for Bottoms, a new comedy that finds two high school senior girls setting up their own fight club in order to hook up with cheerleaders. Released courtesy of MGM, Bottoms is due to land in theaters later this year, and poses the age-old question, do you want to get punched in the face by hot girls? Well, get in line. Check out the Red Band trailer for Bottoms below.

“A refreshingly unique raunchy comedy, the film focuses on two girls, Pj and Josie, who start a fight club as a way to lose their virginities to cheerleaders. Their bizarre plan works,” the official synopsis for Bottoms reads. “The fight club gains traction and soon the most popular girls in school are beating each other up in the name of self-defense. But Pj and Josie find...

MGM has released the first official trailer for the upcoming comedy “Bottoms,” starring Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri.

In a nod to David Fincher’s “Fight Club,” “Bottoms” follows two queer teen girls who start a fight club with a plan to lose their virginities to cheerleaders. According to the film’s official logline, “Their bizarre plan works. The fight club gains traction and soon the most popular girls in school are beating each other up in the name of self-defense. But Pj (Sennott) and Josie (Edebiri) find themselves in over their heads and in need of a way out before their plan is exposed.”

Director Emma Seligman co-wrote the screenplay with Sennott, who starred in the filmmaker’s 2020 indie hit “Shiva Baby.” Sennott stars in “Bottoms” opposite “The Bear” breakout star Edebiri, as well as Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Nicholas Galitzine, Dagmara Dominczyk and Marshawn Lynch. Sennott and...

Exclusive: Cocaine Bear filmmaker Elizabeth Banks has urged industry professionals to “hold the line” and support striking writers, particularly around issues such as the use of AI as her thriller Dreamquil, which explores the dangers of artificial intelligence, launches at the Cannes Market.

Speaking with Deadline shortly before the market kicked into gear, Banks said she was “heartbroken” that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the body representing the studios, was unable to “agree that AI should not be used for creative purposes.”

“As an artist in Hollywood, we export and create culture. And I think we’ve made incredible strides in breaking down the gatekeeping of our industry and presenting underrepresented voices and new ideas. We’ve made so much progress,” Banks said.

“The idea that we would essentially use AI to create that culture based on all the biases of the cultures that have come before...

Writers these days are starting to fear that they’re going to lose their livelihoods to script-writing A.I. programs, and in the upcoming thriller Dreamquil, Elizabeth Banks – director of Cocaine Bear and star of Call Jane – is going to be facing off with an A.I. that’s trying to take over her life! Deadline reports that John C. Reilly (Boogie Nights) has signed on to star in Dreamquil with Banks, and filming is expected to begin in the third quarter of the year.

Set to mark the feature directing debut of Alex Prager, who was nominated for the SXSW Grand Jury Prize in 2023 for her short film Run, Dreamquil will be set in the not-too-distant future and is described as being “a cautionary tale about what happens when Artificial Intelligence and automation are integrated into our daily lives“. The story takes place at a time when poor air...

Exclusive: Emmy nominee Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games) and Oscar nominee John C. Reilly (Chicago) are set to lead timely Cannes market package Dreamquil, an AI thriller which HanWay Films is launching.

Set in the not so distant future, the movie — which comes amid heightened industry attention on the role of AI — is being positioned as a cautionary tale about what happens when Artificial Intelligence and automation are integrated into our daily lives. UTA Independent Film Group and CAA Media Finance co-repping the film in North America.

The film will mark the debut of American filmmaker and contemporary artist Alex Prager, who was nominated for the SXSW Grand Jury Prize in 2023 for her short film Run. Production is being lined up for Q3, 2023.

Oscar nominee Vincent Landay (Her) will produce alongside Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman and Alison Small for Brownstone Productions (Pitch Perfect).

HODs attached include Prager’s long-time collaborators:...

Pitch Perfect, the hit 2012 music comedy, is now streaming on Netflix, and the film utilized one primary location for shooting. Directed by Jason Moore from a screenplay by Kay Cannon, Pitch Perfect helped bring a cappella further into the mainstream following its growing popularity in the late aughts. The film grossed over $115.4 million worldwide, which was impressive considering its budget was only $17 million.

Pitch Perfect is still incredibly popular and quotable over ten years since its theatrical release. Starring Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, and Rebel Wilson, the actors lead an ensemble cast, including co-star and director of Pitch Perfect 2 Elizabeth Banks, that brought audiences more than a handful of memorable moments. The film followed the Barden Bellas on their journey to Nationals for college a cappella. Pitch Perfect was loosely inspired by Mickey Rapkin’s non-fiction novel Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate a Cappella Glory,...

The title "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" has been attached to several pieces of media over the decades. The best-known version is the Cyndi Lauper song, which came close to topping the pop charts when it came out in 1983. Lauper's tune, however, was a feminist remake of a 1979 song by Robert Hazard.

Lauper's single was so popular in the 1980s that it spawned dozens of other professional artists to record or sing their own versions. And in 1985, it also inspired New World Pictures to put out a romantic comedy of the same name that starred Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt. The film did a modest $6.3 million at the box office relative to its cost. It arguably could have done better if Lauper allowed her song to be used in the film — she refused, however, and Hazard's original version was used instead. Despite that, the feature has left enough...

A remake of 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' is in the works.Village Roadshow are to produce a modern-day take on the cult 1985 romantic comedy dance film that starred Sarah Jessica Parker, Lee Montgomery and Helen Hunt.Marja Lewis-Ryan is co-writing the script for the movie together with Allie Romano while Elizabeth Banks is producing with Max Handelman for the duo's Brownstone Productions company.The original flick centred on army brat Janey Glenn (Parker) who attends a strict Catholic high school in Chicago and has to contend with an even stricter father at home.Janey decides to follow her passion for dance and with the encouragement of her new best friend (Hunt), auditions for the local TV dance show. Hiding from dad, dealing with competition from a spoiled country club and first kiss all feature in her growing up.The movie was inspired by Cyndi Lauper's...

Girls just wanna have fun, no matter what decade it is.

Village Roadshow is producing a modern-day remake of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, the cult 1985 romantic comedy dance movie that starred Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt.

Marja-Lewis Ryan, who acted as showrunner of The L Word: Generation Q, is co-writing the script with Allie Romano, who was a staff writer and executive story editor on Generation Q.

Elizabeth Banks is producing with Max Handelman via the duo’s Brownstone Productions.

Girls, made by now-defunct New World Pictures, centered on an army brat (Parker) who settles in Chicago, attends a strict Catholic high school and contends with an even stricter father at home. The girl decides to follow her passion of dance and, with the encouragement of her new best friend (Hunt), auditions for the local TV dance show. Hiding from dad, dealing with competition from a spoiled country...

Get in line, because Cocaine Bear has made its way to Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital following a successful theatrical run. The “Maximum Rampage Edition” features several featurettes, including a fun audio commentary by director/producer Elizabeth Banks and producer (and Banks’ husband) Max Handelman.

Here are eight things I learned from the Cocaine Bear commentary…

1. The film opens with a Wet Hot American Summer reference.

Cocaine Bear opens to the tune of Jefferson Starship’s “Jane,” which many will recognize as the theme song to Wet Hot American Summer, the film in which Banks got her start. She explains:

“This song straight up is an homage to Wet Hot American Summer. Anybody who knows my work knows Wet Hot American Summer was technically my first movie as Elizabeth Banks. That’s my SAG card, got it on that movie. This is the opening song to Wet Hot American Summer, and I sent David Wain,...

We learned earlier this week that the Elizabeth Banks-directed Cocaine Bear is coming to Digital on April 14 and Blu-ray & DVD on April 18 with a “Maximum Rampage Edition,” loaded with behind-the-scenes extras, including an alternate ending, deleted scenes, and gag reel. Additionally, we’ve learned today that the film is coming to Peacock on April 14.

Cocaine Bear will be exclusively streaming on Peacock beginning next Friday.

‘Cocaine Bear’ Review – A Raucously Entertaining and Gory Horror-Comedy

The movie is inspired by true events that took place in Kentucky in 1985, and it was written by Jimmy Warden. Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) produced.

The basic gist of the story is that a 175-pound black bear was found dead from an overdose after ingesting massive amounts of cocaine dropped into the woods by a drug smuggler.

Deadline details, “The movie finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and...

Director Elizabeth Banks’ “character-driven thriller” Cocaine Bear (read our review Here) already received a digital release a few weeks ago, but another digital release is coming up later this month – and this release is being called the Maximum Rampage Edition! The Maximum Rampage Edition will be available digitally on April 14th and will be reaching Blu-ray and DVD on April 18th. Physical media copies can be pre-ordered at This Link.

Cocaine Bear is based on true events that took place in Kentucky in 1985. As our own Kevin Fraser reported last year, the true story goes like this: “In 1985, convicted drug smuggler Andrew Thornton was on a smuggling run from Columbia and had dumped several packages full of cocaine before bailing from the plane himself. Unfortunately, he hit his head on the tail of the aircraft and wound up in a freefall to the ground where he was found dead in someone’s driveway.

The very premise and violent nature of the Elizabeth Banks-directed horror-comedy Cocaine Bear screams “maximum.” But it’s about to get much more unbearably over-the-top with a new Cocaine Bear Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital “Maximum Rampage Edition” home release.

The “Maximum Rampage Edition” comes loaded with behind-the-scenes extras, including an alternate ending, deleted scenes, and gag reel, and will be yours to own on Digital April 14, 2023, and Blu-ray and DVD April 18, 2023, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

The movie is inspired by true events that took place in Kentucky in 1985, and it was written by Jimmy Warden. Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) produced.

Cocaine Bear is “Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, this wild dark comedy finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens converging in a Georgia forest...

Elizabeth Banks is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in Pitch Perfect, Hunger Games and Cocaine Bear.

Elizabeth Banks Biography: Early Life, Age, Family, Education

Elizabeth Banks, originally named Elizabeth Mitchell, was born on February 10, 1974 (Elizabeth Banks: Age 49) in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to Ann and Mark Mitchell. She is the oldest of her three siblings. Banks tried out for the school play after breaking her leg in Little League, which is what started her acting career.

In 1992, Banks graduated from Pittsfield High School. She then went on to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania in 1966 with a major in communications and a minor in theater arts. Banks finished her schooling with an Mfa degree from the American Conservatory Theater in 1998.

Elizabeth Banks Biography: Career

When Banks joined the Screen Actors Guild, she changed her last name from Mitchell to Banks because of another actress was already named Elizabeth Mitchell.

Universal Pictures gave director Elizabeth Banks’ “character-driven thriller” Cocaine Bear (read our review Here) a theatrical release on February 24th, and now, just two and a half weeks later, the movie has already received a digital release! The digital release of Cocaine Bear can be purchased at This Link for $24.99, or rented for $19.99.

As of this writing, Cocaine Bear – which was reportedly made on a budget in the 30 to 35 million range – has earned almost $66 million at the global box office.

Cocaine Bear is based on true events that took place in Kentucky in 1985. As our own Kevin Fraser reported last year, the true story goes like this: “In 1985, convicted drug smuggler Andrew Thornton was on a smuggling run from Columbia and had dumped several packages full of cocaine before bailing from the plane himself. Unfortunately, he hit his head on the tail of the aircraft and wound up in a...

Just a couple days after Cocaine Bear’s appearance at the Academy Awards, the Elizabeth Banks-directed horror-comedy Cocaine Bear is now available at home beginning today.

You can rent Cocaine Bear for $19.99, or Digitally purchase the film for $24.99!

From Universal Pictures, Cocaine Bear was released in theaters on February 24, the film gobbling its way to a $51 million domestic haul. Worldwide, the current total is $65 million.

‘Cocaine Bear’ Review – A Raucously Entertaining and Gory Horror-Comedy

The movie is inspired by true events that took place in Kentucky in 1985, and it was written by Jimmy Warden. Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) produced.

The basic gist of the story is that a 175-pound black bear was found dead from an overdose after ingesting massive amounts of cocaine dropped into the woods by a drug smuggler.

Deadline details, “The movie finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and...

Vanity Fair’s annual Oscar party took place Sunday at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. I have all the details from inside the event, which as usual attracted the most elite of the Hollywood set who poured in after watching Everything Everywhere All at Once score seven Oscar trophies including Best Picture.

We managed to get our hands on the guest list for the event, held in a 3,000-square-foot indoor reception area, with additional courtyards and other outdoor lounge spaces. The main bar, a prime gathering spot, was 40 feet long. The guests danced into the early-morning hours.

Related Story Vanity Fair Oscar Party Photos: See Jeff Bezos, Pedro Pascal, Olivia Wilde, Cardi B, Kendall Jenner & Many More On The Red Carpet Related Story Ke Huy Quan Says He Honored His Mom By Reclaiming Birth Name As An Adult Actor; Declares "Goonies Never Say Die...

Exclusive: Fox is moving forward with The Flintstones spinoff series Bedrock.

Elizabeth Banks, who has been shepherding the project as exec producer, will lead the voice cast of the series, starring as Pebbles, the adult daughter of Fred and Wilma.

The project has scored a pilot presentation, two years after it emerged that it was first in the works at Fox.

The cast also includes Stephen Root as Fred; Amy Sedaris as Wilma; Nicole Byer as Betty; Joe Lo Trulio as Barney; Manny Jacinto as Bamm-Bamm.

A primetime animated adult comedy series continuing the story of the Stone Age family, Bedrock catches up with the Flintstone family two decades later, with Fred on the brink of retirement and 20-something Pebbles embarking on her own career. As the Stone Age gives way to a shiny and enlightened new Bronze Age, the residents of Bedrock will find this evolution harder than a swing from Bamm-Bamm’s club.

A strong genre hook is almost always a win at the box office, so it’s no surprise that Universal’s Elizabeth Banks-directed horror comedy Cocaine Bear enjoyed a nice debut weekend.

Outpacing early projections in the days prior to release, the film snorted up $23 million domestically and $28.4 million worldwide in its debut this past weekend. This put the movie in the #2 spot for the weekend, not far behind Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

The only catch? Cocaine Bear carries a production budget of around $30 million, so it’s going to need to do a bit more blow before it starts being profitable. But with strong word-of-mouth, it’s likely that the film will continue to make money in the coming weeks. Will it ultimately be enough to hit the point of profitability? We’ll keep you posted as numbers come in.

‘Cocaine Bear’ Review – A Raucously Entertaining and...

Marvel and Disney’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania may have stayed atop the domestic box office chart in its sophomore outing with $32.2 million, but the real superhero of the weekend was Universal’s high-concept genre pic Cocaine Bear.

Directed by Elizabeth Banks, Cocaine Bear opened to $23.1 million after stealing away younger adults — and particularly males — from the Ant-Man threequel. Overseas, it sniffed out $5.3 million for an early global total of $28.4 million.

Ant-Man 3 fell 69.7 percent in North America, the worst decline ever for a title in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after eclipsing Black Widow‘s 67.8 percent drop (the latter pic had the disadvantage of opening during the pandemic, and was made available simultaneously in the home).

The Ant-Man threequel also suffered the worst second-weekend drop of any superhero film opening to $100 million or more. DC’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice previously sat in the hot seat at 69.1 percent.

Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is facing stormy times at the weekend box office, where it could tumble 71.6 percent to $30 million-plus in its sophomore outing.

If these projections are right, the superhero pic is in danger of suffering the worst second-weekend decline ever for a Hollywood superhero pic opening to $100 million or more at the domestic box office, and one of the of worst for any such movie.

No superhero films that are members of this club have fallen 70 percent or more; DC’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice comes the closest at 69.1 percent. Among Marvel Cinematic Universe titles, last year’s Thor: Love and Thunder saw the biggest decline, or 67.7 percent. And among any film starting off with $100 million or more, the final Harry Potter pic, released in 2011, tops the list of biggest second-weekend drops with a decline of 72 percent, according to Comscore.

Ant-Man 3 opened...

It’s official. The drug-induced shenanigans of Cocaine Bear, out in theaters now, gets immortalized in Funko Pop! form.

Funko has revealed a new collection of R-Rated Cocaine Bear Pop! movie figures that features its rampaging star in two forms. One features gore, and the other gives the bear what it wants most: cocaine.

Pop Movies: Cocaine Bear- Bear w/Leg(Bd)

This product is for 18+ audiences only. Pop! Bear has gone wild! Snatching a leg from a hiker wasn’t enough for this blood-covered creature; now, he’s looking to track down his next meal in your Cocaine Bear collection! Vinyl figure is approximately 2.9-inches tall.

Pop Movies: Cocaine Bear- Bear w/Bag

This product is for 18+ audiences only. Pop! Bear with Bag has found an unusual snack! Now, this Funko.com exclusive creature is looking to track down his next meal in your Cocaine Bear collection. Vinyl figure is approximately 3.9-inches tall.

“Cocaine Bear” roared its way to the top of the Thursday box office with $2 million in previews.

Universal’s comedy-thriller will play in 3,534 North American theaters starting Friday. It’s slated to open somewhere in the mid-teens, with the possibility of hitting $20 million in ticket sales this weekend. For a comparison, the Christmas action comedy “Violent Night” made $1.1 million in Thursday preview showings to kick off a $13 million opening weekend.

Directed by Elizabeth Banks, Jimmy Warden’s stranger-than-fiction screenplay tells the story of Cokey the Bear, a Black bear who in 1985 consumed a large amount of cocaine a drug runner had dropped into a Georgia forest. In real life, the bear died shortly thereafter, but in this wild retelling it goes on a murderous rampage while on the prowl for more blow.

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Cocaine Bear — director Elizabeth Banks’ daring dark comedy — sniffed up $2 million in Thursday previews from 3,000 theaters at the domestic box office.

Inspired by a true story, the Universal Pictures movie is about a drug smuggling operation that goes horribly awry when a 500-pound American black bear ingests a duffel bag of cocaine and goes on a killing rampage in a small Georgia town.

Banks directed the high-profile genre pic from a script by Jimmy Warden. She also produced alongside Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Max Handelman, Brian Duffield and Aditya Sood.

Cocaine Bear stars Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson, Jr., Christian Convery, Alden Ehrenreich, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Brooklynn Prince, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Kristofer Hivju, Hannah Hoekstra and Aaron Holliday alongside Margo Martindale and Ray Liotta.

Of the major Hollywood studios, Universal has kept releasing a steady stream number of mid-range movies throughout the pandemic era. Cocaine Bear...

The title says it all. Just like Snakes on a Plane was about just that, the new horror comedy Cocaine Bear is about a 500-pound bear on a jihad after coming upon a ton of cocaine dropped into rural Georgia on a drug run gone wrong. The bear ingests the coke, and soon you have a beast roaring out of control and devouring whatever human comes onto his path. It is all not to be taken seriously, but fortunately director Elizabeth Banks is smart enough to give audiences hungry for a Jaws in the wilderness some nice scares mixed in with the laughs plus a bit more bang for their buck than just a marketable title.

With a game ensemble playing none-too-bright potential meals, the intelligence level of many on display makes The Dukes of Hazzard look like Schindler’s List. I was rooting for the bear,...

Universal Pictures is giving director Elizabeth Banks’ “character-driven thriller” Cocaine Bear a theatrical release tomorrow, February 24th (you can read some early reactions Here), and some movie-goers are already hoping for a follow-up that would be called Cocaine Shark. It remains to be seen is there’s going to be a sequel at all, let alone one that would go aquatic, but during a conversation with Variety screenwriter Jimmy Warden (who happens to be married to genre icon Samara Weaving) confirmed that he has ideas for multiple sequels.

When asked if he has a sequel in mind, Warden replied, “Yeah, for sure. Not just a sequel. Many sequels. Cocaine Bear in Space is where we would probably end.“

When the interviewer said they couldn’t tell if he was kidding or not, Warden continued: “No, I’m f*cking with you about Cocaine Bear Goes to Space. But for the sequels,...

It is still early in 2023, but several movies have already left quite the impression on moviegoers, such as Blumhouse's killer doll flick "M3GAN" and M. Night Shyamalan's latest thriller "Knock at the Cabin." But perhaps the craziest movie of the year is hitting theaters soon: "Cocaine Bear."

Directed by Elizabeth Banks ("Pitch Perfect 2"), the film is actually loosely based on a true story of a bear that, as the title implies, ingested a ton of cocaine. What could possibly go wrong? The movie has an absolutely stacked A-list cast led by the likes of Keri Russell and Ray Liota, in one of his final performances. As for the specifics of it, the synopsis for the film reads as follows:

Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner's plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, this wild dark comedy finds an oddball group of cops,...

Enter the contest below to win a pair of passes to attend an advance screening of Cocaine Bear! The screening is on Wednesday, February 22nd at 7:00pm at the Mjr Troy Grand Digital Cinema!

About The Film

Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, this wild dark comedy finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists, and teens converging in a Georgia forest where a 500-pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a coke-fueled rampage for more blow…and blood.

Cocaine Bear stars Keri Russell (The Americans), O’Shea Jackson, Jr. (Straight Outta Compton), Christian Convery (Sweet Tooth), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family), Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project), Isiah Whitlock Jr. (BlacKkKlansman), Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones), Hannah Hoekstra (2019’s Charlie’s Angels) and...