Elizabeth Banks' Cocaine Bear has made a promising start with critics, suggesting that it could redeem the director's biggest career flop to date. Banks is an established name in Hollywood. As well as starring in hits like The Hunger Games, 40-Year-Old Virgin, and The Lego Movie, the 49-year-old has built a successful career behind the camera – producing and directing projects such as Pitch Perfect 2 and The Most Hated Woman in America. However, while her career has certainly included more ups than downs, it hasn't always been plain sailing.

Arguably Banks' biggest failure so far – certainly as a director – is her 2019 remake of Charlie's Angels. Starring Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska, the movie promised to update and continue the story that began with the original 1970s television series and earlier theatrical movies Charlie's Angels and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. However, despite generally mixed reviews, the film was a commercial failure and set the franchise back considerably. As her first film since Charlie's Angels' release, Cocaine Bear represents a real opportunity for Banks to get her directorial career back on track.

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Cocaine Bear's Hype & Positive Reviews Redeem Elizabeth Banks' Charlie's Angels Flop

Cocaine Bear Rotten tomatoes

The combination of excitement around Cocaine Bear's ludicrous premise and early positive reception suggests that the movie can indeed redeem Banks' failure with Charlie's Angels. While the 2019 movie was by no means a critical disaster – generating a 52% average score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes – its dire box office earnings of $73 million against a reported $55 million budget effectively kiboshed any plans for the future of the franchise. As a side effect, it also raised questions about Banks' ability to helm a box office success.

Cocaine Bear can help refute these unfair accusations. With a $35 million budget, the movie occupies a similar space to Charlie's Angels, and yet has generated substantial hype on account of its barely-believable true-story inspiration and outrageous early trailers. Coupled with its (at the time of writing) 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Cocaine Bear has all the raw ingredients to both prove Banks' credentials as a director once and for all and make up for Charlie's Angels' poor commercial performance.

Cocaine Bear's Sequels Can Replace Charlie's Angels Failed Franchise Potential

Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska Charlie's Angels reboot cast 2019

Arguably one of the most disappointing aspects of Charlie's Angels' failure was the knock-on effect it had on the franchise. While it was initially hoped that Banks' movie could kickstart the next stage for the series, but the disappointing box office return led to the cancelation of any sequel plans. This, obviously, was bad news for future installments.

If, however, Cocaine Bear proves to be a success, then the movie can vicariously replace Charlie's Angels' failed franchise potential. Banks herself has already expressed enthusiasm about projects focused on other narcotic-fuelled animals, with a Cocaine Shark follow-up movie being mentioned. Although her previous attempt to kickstart a franchise failed, Cocaine Bear's success could provide an opportunity for Banks to build a successful film series – albeit, perhaps not in the way she might have originally envisioned in 2019.

More: Why A Cocaine Bear Sequel Could Actually Work