Bears have been known to roam the Bluegrass from time to time. But there's no bear more famous than Lexington's very own "Cocaine Bear."

And now, after already embedding himself into Kentucky pop culture, "Cocaine Bear" is finally being made into a feature-length film, set to be released in February 2023.

🐻 About the film

The film, titled (you guessed it) "Cocaine Bear,"is directed byElizabeth Banks — popular for her role as Effie Trinket in "The Hunger Games." IMDB also shows that the film stars Ray Liotta, Keri Russell, and Alden Ehrenreich.

🐻 Plot

The story of "Cocaine Bear" goes like this:

A former Lexington narcotics officer became a drug smuggler. He threw a bag of cocaine out of a plane while flying over Northern Georgia.

A bear ate the bag and consequently died from an overdose.

The bear's body was preserved with taxidermy and eventually purchased by a local Lexington retailer — Kentucky for Kentucky.

This story was also documented in a book titled, "The Bluegrass Conspiracy."

The taxidermy display of the real-life "Cocaine Bear" is always on display at Kentucky for Kentucky. | Photo by LEXtoday

We will keep you updated on the official release date, screening parties, and showtimes.

In the meantime, you can see the bear on display inside its store here in Lexington, located at 720 Bryan Ave.