Cocaine Bear hit cinemas today and fans are already sharing ideas for what they want to see as a sequel, with support from the filmmaker.
Director Elizabeth Banks' R-rated comedy about a cocaine-guzzling bear running amok in the US woods is based on a true story of the aftermath of tonnes of the drug being dropped from the sky in Tennessee in 1985.
The bear was animated by Wētā FX and has quickly inspired memes and frenzied reviews. Now internet users are expressing their hopes that a potential sequel is based on another real-life scenario which played out earlier this month and saw New Zealand authorities seize more than NZ$500 million worth of cocaine in the water.
About 3.2 tonnes was found "afloat" in the Pacific Ocean which has since been transported back to Aotearoa for destruction.
Fans of Cocaine Bear saw the news and started bombarding social media with the words "Cocaine Shark" - and now it appears Elizabeth Banks is onboard with the idea.
"I've seen that. If there's a great story, then sure," Banks told People when asked if she'd be back for a second outing, and if the Cocaine Animal Cinematic Universe is about to become a thing.
"Jaws with cocaine, I don't see how that loses," she said.
"If you think Cocaine Bear is crazy, wait until you hear about the Cocaine Shark that got totally addicted and terrorised drug smugglers in Florida in the '80s!" one commenter said online.
"Cocaine Shark d-doo, d-doo, d-doo," another commented.
"Cocaine Shark coming to theatres 2024," another announced.
There is currently no official word from Universal Pictures if a sequel is actually in the works.
Cocaine Bear opened in cinemas in New Zealand on Thursday and will be roaring into US cinemas this coming weekend.
