You can see the real stuffed ‘Cocaine Bear’ at this US cinema

A US cinema will host the “100 per cent real” Cocaine Bear taxidermy when the film is released later this month.

Directed by Elizabeth Banks, the action-comedy film is inspired by the true story of an American black bear that ingested a duffel bag of cocaine in 1985. In the film, starring Keri Russell and Alden Ehrenreich, the bear goes on a killing rampage around a small town in Georgia.

The Kentucky Theatre, an arthouse cinema in Lexington, is offering the opportunity to see the taxidermy bear which inspired the film in the cinema’s lobby on Friday February 24 and Saturday February 25.

The bear is owned by Kentucky For Kentucky and is widely considered to be the same one who famously overdosed on cocaine in 1985, although some have disputed its authenticity.

Speaking to Syfy, Hayward Wilkirson, Kentucky Theatre Director, said: “I called them up and told them we were gonna have the movie and [asked] if they’d be willing to bring it to the lobby for a couple of days.

“Not only were they pleased, but they said they had been contacted by a couple of more commercial multiplexes and told them that we were their first priority. They thought of us and we thought of them.”

A description on the cinema’s website reads: “You can come see him, take some pics, and grab your very own Cocaine Bear merch while you’re here.”

The film also stars O’Shea Jackson Jr., Christian Convery, Brooklynn Prince, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Margo Martindale. It also marks one of the final roles for Ray Liotta, who died aged 67 last year.

Cocaine Bear will be released in US and UK cinemas on February 24.

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