Try as the 2025 TV schedule might, there’s no guarantee that we’ll see something as meteoric as Netflix’s insane documentary Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. That’s not a knock on what’s coming down the pipe, but rather a comment on how you really can’t tell what’ll hit as hard as the true story of intrigue, potential murder, and big cats.

At the same time, if Joe Exotic’s wishes to have David Spade play him in one of the three movie deals he’s got floating in the open ever comes true, that could be the closest we get to rekindling that magic. And sure enough, the Joe Dirt legend shared some exciting feelings on whether or not he'd take the gig.

Joe Exotic Thinks David Spade’s Joe Dirt Is A Closer Representation Than Joe Vs. Carole’s

I have to admit, when I saw the title “TIGER KING calls From Prison” on the latest episode of Fly on the Wall’s “Superfly” sub-series, I thought it was a joke. But apparently it was not, as there’s clearly a YouTube video of Spade, along with co-host/fellow SNL vet Dana Carvey, talking with the man himself.

Calling out Joe vs. Carole’s version as “way over the top,” Exotic actually suggested that the Joe Dirt star would have been a much better option than series star John Cameron Mitchell. Though if you’re curious about how the man also known as Joseph Allen Maldonado felt about Nicholas Cage almost being cast in the role, you can learn more about that in his remarks below:

Coincidentally that Peacock subscription driver co-stars another Saturday Night Live alum, as Joe vs. Carole's trailer put Kate McKinnon front and center as holding up the other end of that series' dynamic. So maybe that’s another part of why Joe Exotic thinks David Spade would be such a good pick.

Placing David Spade in the middle of the Exotic spectrum is a rather interesting choice I’d have never thought of. That only compliments the fact that I also never thought I’d hear someone calling Mr. Cage “too dry” to play someone as wild as . Then again, after hearing Spade’s eager impression of Joe Exotic, I will admit that I’m totally on board.

David Spade Seems Super Up To The Task, And I Think This Should Happen

Later on in Joe Exotic’s interview with David Spade and Dana Carvey, our Joe Dirt icon provided a little bit of his take on how he’d play the man at the heart of the Tiger King mythos. As you’ll read in the further excerpt below, Spade is already taking notes and putting his metaphorical resume on the table:

With David Spade’s recent SNL cameo still fresh in everyone’s mind, we clearly know that the comedy pro still has his edge. So why not roll the dice and do a Joe Exotic film with him in the lead? Or, even better, how about a Joe Dirt three-quel that reveals Joe Exotic is his actual dad? Why not both?

There’s clearly no wrong answers here, and if Mr. Exotic’s claim that he’ll be out of jail soon is valid, this could be a more pressing concern than anyone could have ever imagined. Well, anyone who doesn't happen to be named Joe Exotic.

When Netflix released Tiger King back in 2020, viewers were instantly hooked by the jaw-dropping storylines that included missing persons, murder, suicide and exotic animal business feuds. Joe Exotic, the main subject of the docuseries, rose to celebrity-status as a result of his wild on-screen persona. However, his notoriety quickly turned to scandal after he was arrested and later sentenced to 22 years in prison for a murder-for-hire job and other charges. And, as if the story couldn’t get any wilder, now another star of the show has been arrested by the FBI.

People reports that none other than Bhagavan “Doc” Antle was arrested Friday afternoon by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He’s the owner of the Myrtle Beach Safari but became famous in his own right after appearing as a controversial talking head on Tiger King. (He later slammed the edit of him on the show as being “salacious.”) As of this writing, Antle’s charges haven’t officially been made public knowledge, and he remains in a Horry County jail facility in South Carolina.

According to the Post and Courier of Myrtle Beach, though, their reporters have received a tip about the circumstances surrounding the arrest. A source close to the FBI’s investigation told the outlet that Doc Antle is facing allegations related to money laundering. A hearing on the matter is supposedly set for Monday, June 6.

This isn’t the Tiger King star’s only troubles, either. In October of 2020, he was indicted in Virginia on felony counts of wildlife trafficking and conspiracy to wildlife traffic, along with 13 other misdemeanor counts pertaining to animal cruelty and conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act. His two daughters were charged with two of those misdemeanor counts as well at the time. Per the Post and Courier, the trial for the Virginia charges is slated for July. Debbie Metzler, the associate director of PETA’s Captive Animal Law Enforcement, said in a statement regarding the latest developments:

Legal drama has persisted elsewhere in the Tiger King universe beyond Doc Antle’s latest issues, too. Jeff Lowe’s touted “hot nanny” from the documentary, Masha Diduk, was arrested in January for allegedly stealing a very pricy candelabra. (But she’s seems to have weathered that storm if her Instagram is any indication.) Meanwhile, Joe Exotic himself was last heard to be so desperate to get out of prison that he agreed to work with his former nemesis, Carole Baskin, to do it. It must not have panned out like he hoped (a pardon or parole offer in exchange for backing certain legislation efforts) because the TV personality remains in prison in North Carolina.

Keep an eye out for updates on the legal troubles of Doc Antle, Joe Exotic and any of the series' other cast members. Both Tiger King and its Doc Antle Story spinoff are still available for streaming for those with a Netflix subscription.

Many of the events of March 2020 are things we’d just rather forget. Schools being closed, sports being cancelled, learning to work from home, hoarding toilet paper. As we all tried to navigate this new life in coronavirus quarantine, millions found one way to come together — through the shared experience of Netflix’s docuseries Tiger King. These big cat enthusiasts were larger than life, and their stories stranger than fiction. It was inevitable that Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin would be characters adapted for future projects, and with Peacock's Joe vs. Carole, that time has come. 

Critics were able to screen the series ahead of its release, and well, it’s tough out there in the wild. Despite starring the unquestionably talented John Cameron Mitchell and Kate McKinnon as the title characters, the critics seem to think this story was one best left back in 2020, and they are not pulling their punches. Let’s take a look at the reviews — roasts are probably a better word for them — and some of the more interesting opinions about Joe vs. Carole. 

Daniel Fienberg of THR says the cultural phenomenon “which captivated America between March 2020 and March 2020” is likely not worth a two-hour movie, much less an eight-hour series. 

Brian Lowry of CNN says Joe vs. Carole arrives anew to our screens after the story has "exhausted its nine lives." (Cat puns, yay!) In fact, this review points out that Carole Baskin’s real-life turn on reality TV proves how past its prime this series is.

Kristen Lopez of IndieWire says if Peacock is hoping for this to be its first breakout series, it “bet on the wrong cat,” pointing out that even Netflix couldn’t find more success with this story when it released Tiger King 2 late last year.

Brian Tallerico of The Playlist says the title Joe vs. Carole implies a fight, but somehow these larger-than-life characters have been made into “deadly boring” versions of themselves.

The performance of John Cameron Mitchell gets shout-outs from several of the critics, including Caroline Femke of Variety, who says he comes close to saving the project:

Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair also gives John Cameron Mitchell the credit he’s due for playing Joe Exotic, but he and other critics think Kate McKinnon as Carole Baskin sometimes seems to be stuck in an over-extended Saturday Night Live sketch.

Rachael Sigee of inews says Peacock failed to recognize the Tiger King obsession for what it was — a moment in time — and says from the CGI tigers to the Halloween-costume versions of Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, you just can’t dramatize people already living as caricatures.

Other than a couple of good notes on the performances — namely John Cameron Mitchell as Joe Exotic — most of the critics seem to think the Tiger King era has run its course, and there’s just not a lot of nostalgia for the early days of the COVID pandemic. However, if you think this series is for you, by all means, check it out! Joe vs. Carole is available for streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription, and be sure to also check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what shows are premiering soon.

Viewers are finally getting a first look at the long-anticipated Peacock series Joe Vs. Carole, starring John Cameron Mitchell as Joe Maldonado-Passage and Kate McKinnon as his rival, Carole Baskin. The trailer above promises an all-out war between the big-cat enthusiasts, as well as all the absurdity that initially attracted audiences to Netflix’s zeitgeist-snatching 2020 docuseries Tiger King. Just as it went in the docuseries, there will clearly be no shortage of guns and explosions either.

Saturday Night Live vet Kate McKinnon seems to be bringing a self-awareness to the role of Carole Baskin, especially in the smaller moments, such as the irony of Baskin’s being allergic to cats. But this won’t be just a dramatized retelling of Tiger King, as the Peacock series is based on Wondery's podcast Joe Exotic: Tiger King and will dive into the history of Baskin and Joe Exotic’s animalistic feud. The trailer promises to give audiences the other half of the story: 

Tiger King certainly was stranger than fiction, so I’m really intrigued to see what Kate McKinnon and John Cameron Mitchell’s performances will add to the story. The trailer shows Carole Baskin speaking with investigators about Joe Exotic’s history of abusing animals in an attempt to shut down his roadside zoo, and he doesn’t take kindly to Baskins’ attempt on his livelihood. It results in Exotic launching an offensive of his own, as shown in the trailer when he blows up a mattress, and Baskin comedically describes him shooting a blow-up doll that was dressed like her.

While this story couldn’t be told without its comedy, Joe Vs. Carole — which was previously titled Joe Exotic — looks like it’s going to take a dramatic turn, as Joe Exotic says, “Someone’s gotta kill that bitch,” and Carole Baskin and her husband Howard are shown buying their own firearms. The trailer even shows a man coming out of the woods and seemingly pointing a gun at the bike-riding Baskin. The real-life Joe Maldonado-Passage is currently serving a 21-year prison sentence for a failed murder-for-hire plot targeting Baskin, and many of his experiences since Tiger King's debut have been anything but comedic.

Along the way, Joe Vs. Carole looks to feature a number of moments familiar to Tiger King fans. Joe Exotic’s three-way wedding to John Finlay and Travis Maldonado, complete with hot pink button-downs, is shown, as well as him dressing up in a king’s robe with a scepter for the filming of the documentary.

The wardrobes are a thing of beauty, and could have been taken right from Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin’s closets — even Baskin was shocked to see first looks — with Joe Exotic’s infamous nothing-but-a-Speedo look, as well as him rocking a vest over his bare chest. Baskin is, of course, donning nothing but animal prints, and there’s a quick joke about what appears to be her Dancing With the Stars costume.

Joe Exotic and his crew captured the intrigue of viewers with Tiger King's documentary footage, and adding the humor of Kate McKinnon and John Cameron Mitchell into the mix has definitely piqued my interest. Here's hoping the fictionalized version can reach the same heights as the docuseries.

Joe Vs. Carole premieres Thursday, March 3, on Peacock, with all episodes debuting in one fell swoop. Check out some cool things you can get with a subscription to Peacock Premium.

It seems like it happened forever ago, but it was just early in 2020 when Tiger King came along on Netflix and took the country by storm. The true crime docuseries was so popular, in fact, that it led to several other shows about the case of Joe Exotic and his assorted friends and enemies being given the go-ahead. One of those, aptly titled Joe Exotic, has been filming for several weeks, with us finally getting a first look at star Kate McKinnon as Exotic’s competitor / enemy, Carole Baskin. Now, we know what the real Baskin thinks of seeing McKinnon play her for the Peacock series, and her review is pretty good.

Kate McKinnon has become very well-known for her many impressions and wild characterizations as a member of the Saturday Night Live cast over the years, so it’s not a huge surprise that she was tapped to take on the cool cat / kitten known as Carole Baskin in Joe Exotic. All along, Baskin was shown to be quite a character in her own right, and now that images of McKinnon have leaked from the set of the new show, she has talked to TMZ about it.

Baskin told the outlet that she was stunned to see the photos of McKinnon as her, mostly because whomever is in charge of wardrobe for the Joe Exotic cast has nailed her clothing. In the pictures, McKinnon is sporting a wig to copy Baskin’s long, blonde hair, along with a teal cardigan, jeans, a multi-colored animal print shirt, and a chunky necklace. Apparently, in real life Baskin does have nearly the same outfit, and she even noted that the addition of the necklace (which also matches a real item of hers) was a special surprise, because she never had it on for any of her Tiger King interviews.

The cat-loving lady also said that McKinnon seems to have totally accessed her own inner cat lady to pull off the look, and was also shocked to see the production using a 2012 Toyota pickup as her vehicle, because that is what she drives.

Joe Exotic will be based on the Wondery podcast, Joe Exotic: Tiger King, which was hosted by Robert Moor and brought Exotic’s story its first round of major mainstream attention. The Peacock series will follow the rivalry between Baskin and Exotic, which began when she learned that he was breeding and then using his big cats for profit, and made moves to try and shut down his roadside zoo. 

Baskin was seen as a somewhat sympathetic person in the docuseries, until talk of her past and questions about what happened to her second husband came up. Exotic accused Baskin of killing him and then feeding him to her tigers to get rid of the evidence, which led to a whole new round of allegations and investigations for Baskin after Tiger King aired. 

According to Baskin, Joe Exotic will show her relationship with her current husband, Howard (who’ll be played by Kyle MacLachlan), but she has no idea how her feud with Exotic (actor, director, and playwright John Cameron Mitchell) will play out this time around. At least Carole Baskin can rest easy knowing that Kate McKinnon has her cat-focused fashions down pat.

We don’t know when Joe Exotic will air on Peacock just yet, but you can check out our 2021 fall TV schedule while you wait for updates.

It's been over a year since Netflix's Tiger King since hit our screens and, for the most part, the hype had mostly died down. However, Netflix isn't quite done with the story of Joe Exotic, as it was recently announced that work on Tiger King 2 is underway, much to the dismay of Exotic's rival. Carole Baskin. The Big Cat Rescue CEO recently slammed the docuseries' creators after the Season 2 update but she also explained why she’ll still need to watch it when it streams.

It makes sense that Carole Baskin wouldn’t be thrilled about another documentary, especially since she’s been on the receiving end of so many jokes and has experienced legal trouble since the series aired last year. In an interview with Variety, Baskin said she assumed there would be more to the docuseries and was aware they were working on Season 2 but that she doesn’t consider it a documentarian work at all. In fact, she calls the whole production a “dumpster fire,” saying:

According to Carole Baskin, the Tiger King directors did not do her justice, and the finished documentary apparently wasn’t what they had discussed. In the same interview, Baskin recalled the conversations she had to have with her friends and family to set the record straight about the way she was portrayed, which is something she assumes will need to happen again after Tiger King’s second season. With this, it seems she'll be tuning in for this new season:

During Netflix's fan event, Tudum, it was announced that Tiger King 2 is set to be released on Netflix on November 17. While it sounds like Carole Baskin will be watching right along with us, it’s unclear if Joe Exotic will be allowed to tune in from his jail cell. Fans of the wild docuseries may also want to keep an eye out for the upcoming Joe Exotic series for Peacock TV, which is sure to capture the essence of the polarizing doc.

Erik Cowie, best known for his involvement in Netflix’s runaway hit docuseries Tiger King, has died. Cowie served as the Head Keeper at the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal, which belonged to the show’s polarizing lead, Joseph Maldonado-Passage, or Joe Exotic. Cowie was 53 at the time of his passing.

The Tiger King alum was found dead this past Friday in a New York City residence, where his body was found by a friend. Local law enforcement officials informed TMZ that there did not seem to be any foul play when it came to Erik Cowie’s passing. However, officials report that the man had been drinking heavily and that a bottle of vodka was present at the scene of his death. Cowie, who had been living and working in Oklahoma for a while, was reportedly in New York to visit friends.

Over the course of the docuseries, the keeper proved to be an honest interviewee and a somewhat of a grounding element for the over-the-top show. Joe Exotic came under scrutiny for alleged abuse towards his animals with other reports claiming that he would kill tigers for one reason or another. Erik Cowie once told reporters that he “knew cats were getting shot.”

Joe Exotic would ultimately leave the G.W. Zoo in 2018 and was eventually arrested that same year for numerous charges of animal abuse. He was also charged on two counts of attempted murder for hire in a plot to kill rival and Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin. Erik Cowie remained with the zoo, which was subsequently headed by Exotic’s partner, Jeff Lowe. The park would eventually be closed for good in August 2020 after Baskin’s legal acquisition of the property.

Following the events of Tiger King, Erik Cowie would return to the public eye again for Netflix’s follow-up reunion. Cowie appeared to be in a good place and had even gotten his teeth fixed (after viewers assumed his missing teeth were the result of drug use). While speaking with host Joel McHale, the keeper stated that his loyalty remained to the animals he cared for and not his former employer. He would even go on to declare that Joe Exotic would die in prison.

More recently, the former zoo employee had experienced some legal problems, as he was arrested in Oklahoma earlier this year for DUI following a car accident. He would later plead guilty and was set for sentencing, though he never appeared in court.

Erik Cowie was introduced very early in the Tiger King documentary. The candid zoo employee explained that when he first arrived at Joe Exotic’s Oklahoma compound, he was on “kind of the end of my ropes.” He went on to say that he found out about the zoo position through Craigslist and soon took a liking to doing shows with tigers.

We here at CinemaBlend extend our thoughts to the loved ones of Erik Cowie at this time.

Joe Exotic first came onto the scene in pop culture last year with the Netflix docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness. Since then, multiple projects surrounding the big cat con artist have been planned and entered development, including one starring Nicolas Cage. However, it looks as if our dreams of the prolific actor portraying Joe Exotic have died.

Nicolas Cage has had a wide variety of crazy roles so it wasn't surprising he was set to play Joe Exotic in a new Amazon series that was first announced last year just months after Tiger King’s debut. He recently revealed to Variety that his time as the Tiger King has come and gone, saying:

It's not surprising that the series has been shelved, at least for now, although it may be shopped around to other outlets. Tiger King was huge last year during quarantine. Everyone was stuck inside, the lockdown was happening, and Netflix released this docuseries about an over-the-top person with a wild story. It was hyped up for months but then it just died down. At the time it seemed like a great idea to have a show or two about Joe Exotic and his life, but after a year the hype has died down enough that Nicolas Cage won't be playing Exotic for Amazon.

Even though we won’t be seeing Nicolas Cage as Joe Exotic on Amazon, the Tiger King is still holding strong on Peacock. Yes, as of now, Peacock’s Joe Exotic TV show is still moving forward, even with a recent change of casting. The already-impressive cast indicates that this series isn’t going anywhere, and it will follow Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin’s years-long feud after Baskin finds out about Exotic’s scam with the big cats. Joe Mitchell and Kate McKinnon are set to star in the new Peacock series, which has yet to get an official premiere date.

With Nicolas Cage’s Joe Exotic series canned, what does this mean for the Peacock series? Despite it seemingly still moving forward, anything can happen, especially since the Tiger King hype was more than a year ago. But I am sad that we’ll never see Cage as the Tiger King, but maybe that can change in the future. A girl can dream, right? For what you can watch sooner rather than later, check out our 2021 summer TV premiere schedule.

Kyle MacLachlan has certainly had an interesting career, having had stints on both the big and small screens. When it comes to the latter, he’s had stints on Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. However, his most famous role is arguably that of eccentric FBI agent Dale Cooper on Twin Peaks. Many no doubt know just how trippy and strange the original show and the revival miniseries could get but, now, the actor is arguably heading into other strange territory. That’s right, he’s joining Kate McKinnon’s Joe Exotic series in a key role.

Peacock’s currently untitled Joe Exotic series has been steadily building its cast over the past few months. So far, it’s found some strong actors to portray the eclectic array of figures that were present in the former zoo owner’s orbit. Kate McKinnon is portraying Exotic’s rival Carol Baskin, and now, Kyle MacLachlan is set to play Baskin’s husband, Howard Baskin, according to THR.

Now, just to be clear, Kyle MacLachlan is playing Carole Baskin’s third husband, who appeared prominently in Netflix’s docuseries. Some may be quick to mistake the role for Baskin’s second husband, Don Lewis, the businessman who infamously disappeared back in 1997 and was declared dead in 2002. That situation has put Baskin at the center of massive speculation, and it’s also resulted in a few legal issues for her as well.

Joining Kyle MacLachlan and Kate McKinnon on the Joe Exotic series are Wiliam Fitcher (replacing Dennis Quaid) in the role of producer Rick Kirkham, Dean Winters as Exotic’s former business partner Jeff Lowe, Joel Marsh Garland as Exotic’s friend James Garretson, along with newcomer Lex Mayson in the role of Saff, an employee at the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park. And last but not least, Exotic himself will be portrayed by actor, director and playwright John Cameron Mitchell, who seems eager to sink his teeth into the role.

While not quite as old as Howard Baskin, Kyle MacLachlan does slightly resemble the man, but MacLachlan’s acting abilities should certainly allow him to effectively embody the role. It’ll also be fun to see him play off of Kate McKinnon and, with this being a Carole Baskin-centric series, the two are sure to share a lot of screen time.

Believe it or not, this isn’t the only scripted Joe Exotic-related production that’s currently in the works. Another project is currently in the works at CBS and is set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video at some point in the future. And the eight-episode series has managed to land Nicolas Cage in the role of Exotic.

It’s pretty much a given that Kyle MacLachlan and his co-stars have a wild ride ahead of them but, thanks to his past work, MacLachlan should be prepared for the weirdness. But I honestly think the jury is still out on whether the exploits within the town of Twin Peaks, Washington actually top a bitter war between two animal enthusiasts.

Netflix’s Tiger King seems like it became a pop culture sensation a lifetime ago, when in reality it released at the start of lockdown last year. That isn’t stopping other platforms from getting in on the Tiger King, as Peacock’s Joe Exotic TV show is getting closer to production. While Dennis Quaid was cast as Rick Kirkham, Joe Exotic’s reality show producer, he is leaving the project and someone else is taking over.

According to Deadline, William Fichtner will portray Kirkham to replace Dennis Quaid, who had to exit due to a scheduling conflict. Fichtner will star opposite Kate McKinnon, who will portray Carole Baskin, and Joe Mitchell, who is set to play Joe Exotic himself. The actor joins previously announced cast members Brian Van Holt, Nat Wolff, Sam Keeley, Lex Mayson, Dean Winters and Joel Marsh Garland.

William Fichtner has had an extensive filmography since 1987, appearing in dozens of movies and TV shows over the years including Nine Lives, Blades of Glory, The Lone Ranger, Independence Day: Resurgence, The West Wing, Prison Break, Empire and Mom. Fichtner also made his directorial debut with the feature film Cold Brook, starring alongside Kim Coates.

It will be interesting to see just what William Fichtner will bring to this role, and fans can only wonder what could have been with Dennis Quaid. Considering Fichtner’s long list of roles and the variety of them, he seems like the perfect fit for Joe Exotic’s reality show producer.

There is currently no word on when the new series will make its debut on Peacock, which is working under the Joe Exotic title for now. The fact that it stars an already-impressive cast says a lot, since the original series did wonders on Netflix. The show is set to center around Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin’s years-long feud following when Baskin learns Exotic’s scam with the big cats. The series will be based on the 2020 Wondery Podcast series Joe Exotic: Tiger King, which is created and hosted by Robert Moor.

With William Fichtner replacing Dennis Quaid due to Quaid's scheduling conflicts, it seems progress is being made on the Joe Exotic project. Even though Tiger King released on Netflix over a year ago, there are multiple shows being based around Joe Exotic and his schemes. During the wait for the Peacock series, you can always watch and rewatch the Tiger King docu-series that made such a splash in early 2020, when stay-at-home orders had people ready for some Netflix craziness. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on the Joe Exotic TV show on Peacock and check out our summer 2021 TV schedule to find out which shows to look forward to this summer!

Truth is stranger than fiction, and that was certainly proven with Netflix’s hit 2020 docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness. But that fact hasn’t stopped filmmakers from wanting to fictionalize the weird world of big cat enthusiasts Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin. The Kate McKinnon-backed scripted series Joe Exotic, which will stream exclusively on Peacock, is just one of several follow-up projects to center around the self-proclaimed “redneck, gun-toting, mullet-sporting, tiger-tackling gay polygamist.” (Amazon also has a scripted series in development, with Nicholas Cage set to star as Joe Exotic.)

Peacock’s Joe Exotic is based on the Wondery podcast Over My Dead Body, whose second season explores the world of big cat owners Joe Exotic (real name: Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage) and his nemesis Carole Baskin. Even if there weren't tigers involved, this was a story worth telling — from Baskin's questionable past to Joe Exotic's flamboyant lifestyle, and the rivalry that ended in a prison sentence - and the podcast drew acclaim from listeners and Baskin herself for its more objective perspective. Aside from Kate McKinnon, who will co-star as the aforementioned nemesis, plenty of well-known names are attached to portray the Tiger King's crew. Let’s take a look at an updated list of confirmed cast members for the highly anticipated streaming series Joe Exotic.

John Cameron Mitchell (Joe Exotic)

A star of stage and screen, John Cameron Mitchell will play the ostentatious title character, Joe Exotic, and Mitchell's spicy career seems appropriate for the role. Mitchell co-wrote and starred in the Off-Broadway hit Hedwig and the Angry Itch, and also directed and starred in the film version. Along with multiple theater roles both on Broadway and otherwise, Mitchell directed Rabbit Hole in 2010, starring Nicole Kidman. He’s directed music videos for Bright Eyes and Sigur Ros, as well as episodes of Nurse Jackie and GLOW. As an actor, Mitchell plays Gabe Parrish on the Hulu series Shrill and has had recurring roles on Girls and The Good Fight. He can also currently be heard on Anthem: Homunculus, a dark, musical podcast. Playing Joe Exotic will be a walk in the park for Mitchell.

Kate McKinnon (Carole Baskin)

Kate McKinnon, known for making us laugh as a longtime member of Saturday Night Live, will take on the role of Carole Baskin, the head of Big Cat Rescue with a possibly scandalous past who got caught up in a dangerous rivalry with Joe Exotic. McKinnon’s sketch comedy pre-dates SNL, as she was part of the original cast of The Big Gay Sketch Show. She is also known for co-starring in the 2016 remake of Ghostbusters, and has has built up a solid voice work career with multiple projects including The Angry Birds Movie, The Venture Bros., Finding Dory and voicing Ms. Frizzle on The Magic School Bus Rides Again.

Sam Keeley (John Finlay)

John Finlay, the ex-husband of Joe Exotic who became as famous for his gap-tooth smile as his relationship with the Tiger King, will be portrayed by Sam Keeley. The role seems like a departure for the Irish actor, who played Cooper Roback on the military drama 68 Whiskey and can also be found on the British sports drama The English Game on Netflix. But Keeley has done films of all genres, including historical action (In the Heart of the Sea), sci-fi (Monsters: Dark Continent) and horror (The Cured), so it’ll be interesting to see how Keeley embodies the animal lover.

Dennis Quaid (Rick Kirkham)

Rick Kirkham, the producer of Joe Exotic TV who witnessed (if not outright enabled) many of Joe Exotic's antics, is surely interesting enough to lead his own biographical series, so it's fitting that colorful Hollywood legend Dennis Quaid will play him in the Peacock series. Quaid has played a number of significant roles across genres, including A Dog's Journey and A Dog's Purpose as Ethan, The Parent Trap, The Rookie, Any Given Sunday, The Right Stuff and The Big Easy. The actor's mastery of comedy and drama, combined with some antics of his own, should lend themselves well to the world of Joe Exotic.

Brian Van Holt (John Reinke)

John Reinke, who lost both of his legs in a non-tiger-related accident, played a big part in Joe Exotic's story as a manager at the G.W. Zoo, and it will be Brian Van Holt portraying him on the TV series. Van Holt was most recently seen on the Fox drama Deputy as Cade Ward, but may be better known for his role as Bobby Cobb on the ABC sitcom Cougar Town. He is also known for his dual role in the 2005 thriller House of Wax, and along with being part of Ascension's main cast and recurring on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Van Holt has appeared on hit shows including Sons of Anarchy, CSI: Crime Scene Investigators and Burn Notice.

Nat Wolff (Travis Maldonado)

Nat Wolff will play another of Joe Exotic's husbands with the role of Travis Maldonado, whose drug abuse and tragic death were detailed in an episode of Netflix’s Tiger King docuseries. Wolff got his start as part of The Naked Brothers Band, a Nickelodeon series co-starring his brother Alex. He is also well-known for his roles in two John Green teen film adaptations, Paper Towns and The Fault in Our Stars, as well as for his role as Jeremiah in Admission alongside Tina Fey and Paul Rudd. Most recently Wolff played Lloyd Henreid on the CBS All-Access mini-series The Stand.

It'll be interesting to see how some of these stranger-than-fiction stories will be handled in the Peacock scripted series, particularly when it comes to the more sensitive subjects like Travis Maldonado's death and the multiple animal abuse allegations. But with the popularity surrounding the big cat sanctuaries and their staff, it's sure to draw an audience, which will no doubt also be taken in by Kate McKinnon and the rest of this stellar ensemble cast. There's no doubt Joe Exotic will be entertaining in one way or another, but while waiting for first-look images and trailers, be sure to check out everything coming to 2021 summer TV!

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In March 2020, there was one pop culture thing on everyone’s minds: Tiger King. The Netflix docuseries, which became an “out of left field” success was watched by as many as 34 million unique viewers when it was first launched, just as everyone was beginning to shelter in place. Tiger King fever quickly became the subject of numerous potential adaptations, including the upcoming Joe Exotic TV show starring Saturday Night Live mainstay Kate McKinnon.

The upcoming Peacock limited series, which currently has a working title of Joe Exotic, will one day come to NBCUniversal’s streaming service, bringing with it a star-studded cast with the unenviable task of faithfully portraying some of the most colorful and hard-to-believe-they’re-real grifters and drifters the world has seen in quite some time. And, even though we don’t yet know how the limited series will compare to the Netflix series or even the podcast on which it was based, what we do know is that the show sounds just as crazy as you’d expect…

Kate McKinnon, John Cameron Mitchell, Nat Wolff And Dennis Quaid Lead The Joe Exotic Cast

When Joe Exotic launches on Peacock (hopefully with the same momentum as Netflix’s Tiger King), it will feature an impressive cast of actors taking on some of the more larger-than-life characters involved in the world of big cats and the years-long feud between Carole Baskin and Joe “Exotic” Maldonado-Passage, one which could have potentially led to murder. According to Deadline, Kate McKinnon is set to take on the role of big cat enthusiast Baskin, with John Cameron Mitchell portraying her charismatic and unique adversary. Nat Wolff and Sam Kelly will be playing two of Exotic’s husbands: Travis Maldonado and John Finlay, respectively. Dennis Quaid will step in as Rick Kirham, Exotic’s reality show producer, and Brian Van Holt will take on the role of John Reinke, one of the less wild figures in the Netflix docuseries.

The Peacock Limited Series Will Center On The Years-Long Feud Between Carole Baskin And Joe Exotic

When Joe Exotic was first announced in April 2020, NBCUniversal revealed that the Peacock limited series will center on Carole Baskin around the time she learns Joe Exotic is not only breeding big cats but also using them to make profit. What follows will be a multi-episode dramatization of the years-long feud between the two, as Baskin attempts to shut down Exotic’s various ventures, including his Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, while Exotic takes things to the next level by exposing his enemy’s checkered past.

Joe Exotic Is Based On The Wondery Podcast Of The Same Name

One thing that should be pointed out is that Joe Exotic isn’t a recreation of Netflix’s Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, but instead based on the 2020 Wondery Podcast series Joe Exotic: Tiger King. Created and hosted by Robert Moor, this six-part podcast takes an extremely deep dive into the life and times of Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, providing even more crazy stories which the producers of the Netflix docuseries couldn’t squeeze in during the show’s run.

Listen to Joe Exotic: Tiger King on Wondery.

Shameless Writer Etan Frankel Is Penning The Joe Exotic Limited Series

Writing the Joe Exotic series, as well as serving as an executive producer, is Etan Frankel, according to Variety. Prior to landing the writing gig for the upcoming Peacock limited series, Frankel made a name for himself penning multiple episodes for shows like Shameless, Gossip Girl, Friday Night Lights, Animal Kingdom, and the Epix adaptation series of Get Shorty. The number of episodes has yet to be revealed at this time.

Other executive producers include Kate McKinnon, and a group from Wondery consisting of Hernan Lopez, Marshall Lewy, and Aaron Hart.

The Chi’s Justin Tipping Will Direct The Joe Exotic Pilot And Additional Episodes

When Joe Exotic enters production, the first few episodes, including the show’s pilot, will be directed by Justin Tipping, according to The Hollywood Reporter. While Tipping’s name might not stick out, the shows he’s worked on in the past include a few notable series: The Chi and Black Monday from Showtime, and Netflix’s Dear White People. Tipping, who got his start with a series of short films in 2012 has since gone on to direct episodes of Flatbush Misdemeanors, Run the World, and Twenties.

Joe Exotic Will Be Exclusive To Peacock

If you want to watch Joe Exotic whenever it premieres at some point in the future, you will need to have a Peacock Premium account (as is the case with other Peacock originals) in order to do so, and that’s because it will be exclusive to the streaming platform. There was a time when the limited series was slated to air across NBCUniversal’s different platforms like NBC and USA Network, but the media conglomerate made a change of course in May 2021 when it reversed its decision. The reason for this change has been attributed to Susan Rovner, Chairman of Entertainment Content for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, who felt the nature of the show was better suited for streaming than traditional broadcast, per Deadline.

Carole Baskin Has Urged Joe Exotic’s Producers To Avoid Using Real Big Cats

Shortly after the Joe Exotic Peacock series started to build up steam in March 2020, Carole Baskin issued an open plea (via EW) to one of the show’s executive producers and main stars, Kate McKinnon, asking her to not use actual big cats during production, arguing that it would be cruel to use live animals in a show that has a large focus on the effects of animal cruelty. In the letter, Baskin also suggested McKinnon and the other producers make us of advanced CGI technology to recreate the big cats rather than forcing live animals to suffer.

Amazon Is Also Developing A Joe Exotic Limited Series, With Nicolas Cage Tapped To Portray The Tiger King

The Peacock Joe Exotic limited series isn’t the only show in the works that is centered around the star of Netflix’s docuseries. In May 2020, just when the world was coming down from the high that was Tiger King, word began to spread that another scripted series based on the life and times of Joe Exotic was in the works, this time with Nicolas Cage set to portray the zoo owner-turned-convict. The momentum kept going throughout the year, especially after Amazon acquired the rights for the show in September 2020, per Variety.

Based on the Texas Monthly article “Joe Exotic: A Dark Journey Into the World of a Man Gone Wild,” the Amazon series will largely focus on Joe Exotic as he becomes the over-the-top character while he loses himself in the persona he crafted over the years.

There is still a lot we don’t yet know about Joe Exotic on Peacock, including its release date, episode count, or when it will enter production. While we wait for updates, why not check out CinemaBlend’s 2021 Summer TV schedule to see when your favorite shows return to the airwaves.

Joe Exotic has been in prison for two-and-a-half years now, having being convicted for multiple violations of wildlife laws and murder for hire – and he's set to serve a lot more time if he doesn't get parole. Exotic (real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage) has made many attempts to get parole, and after former President Donald Trump let him down, he's now agreed to something he may have never imagined: work alongside his nemesis Carole Baskin.

Howard Baskin, the living husband of Carole, recently suggested the couple would support a reduction of Joe Exotic's sentence if he were to help support a new piece of legislation called the Big Cat Safety Act hoping to make a splash in Washington. Joe Exotic recently confirmed to Entertainment Tonight that he'd heard the offer, and he's on board. With that said, he had a few more things to say, both about Baskin and the proposed Big Cat Safety Act itself. Said Exotic,

It's a bold move for Joe Exotic to up the ante while still being behind bars, but the type of spirit that shows he's willing to throw his whole self behind something he's passionate about. If he could channel the fight to prove his innocence into a Big Cat bill that could prevent the exploitation of wildlife in America any further, this legislation could be passed.

All other comments aside, Joe Exotic did say he'd help, which is a big step possibly towards his release. That being said, a verbal commitment may not be enough to gain his freedom just yet, as Carole Baskin responded with the following after she was asked for comment on his offer:

Neither Joe Exotic nor Carole Baskin could make a statement without making a veiled criticism of the other, so this partnership may be easier said than done. With that said, it would be hilarious that after all his attempts the one who could finally get the star of Netflix's Tiger King out of prison is the woman he absolutely can't stand. It's a story that would almost justify a second season, just to see these two bury the hatchet.

Tiger King is currently available to binge on Netflix. As Joe Exotic fights for his freedom on the inside, his pop culture cred remains high on the outside. In fact, an actor was recently cast to play him opposite Kate McKinnon's Carole Baskin in an upcoming series.

When Netflix’s Tiger King docuseries premiered last year, it took the world by storm, effectively solidifying Joe Exotic’s place in pop culture. The former zoo owner actually proved to be so popular that a few scripted adaptations were soon greenlit. One hails from NBCUniversal and is set to star Kate McKinnon as Exotic’s rival Carole Baskin. Now, the show has found an actor to play McKinnon’s Exotic.

Actor, director and playwright John Cameron Mitchell has been tapped to play Joseph Schreibvogel (or Joe Exotic) in NBC’s upcoming Tiger King limited series, per Variety. As of this writing, Mitchell and McKinnon are the only cast members to be confirmed for the series. In addition to the report, Mitchell responded to his casting with a statement of his own:

Steven O’Neill of UCP also commented on the casting of John Cameron Mitchell. In his statement, he explained just why Mitchell was the actor to embody Joe Exotic:

John Cameron Mitchell has amassed quite a resume over the course of his career. From the ‘80s to the present, the actor has had roles in shows ranging from MacGyver and Law & Order to Girls and The Good Fight. He’s also directed on acclaimed shows like Nurse Jackie and GLOW. Of course, he’s best known for co-creating the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which first debuted in 1998. The play was later revived in 2014 and would win Mitchell the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical and a 2015 Special Tony Award for his performance. He would also write, direct and star in the 2001 film adaptation of the play.

Based on his body of work, John Cameron Mitchell seems to be a good fit for the role. The actor has plenty of experience playing over-the-top characters, but he’s also shown that he can go past the theatrics and find the humanity in his characters. The fact that he can relate to some of Exotic’s life experiences will surely also help Mitchell better identify with the controversial figure.

John Cameron Mitchell won’t be the only one to take on the role of Joe Exotic within the next few years. Nicolas Cage is also set to play the incarcerated former entrepreneur in a scripted series for CBS Television. Both actors are sure to give distinct takes on Exotic, and it’ll be fun to see how they pull it off.

In the lead up to President Trump’s final days in office, there was a lot of speculation around potential federal pardons and who he might hand them out to. One of the names repeatedly floated was Tiger King lead Joe Exotic. Unfortunately for the reality star, however, the list of nearly 150 people dropped, and he was not on it. Never one to keep his thoughts to himself, the reality star took to Twitter to talk about what happened and explain why he thinks he didn’t get pardoned.

Even by Joe Exotic standards, the post dropped on an account alleged to belong to the Tiger King is pretty juicy. In it, he calls out Donald Trump Jr, says he was used for social media boosting and claims he’s “too innocent” and “too gay” to deserve a pardon. You can check out the whole tweet below…

Joe Exotic, or Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage as he’s legally known, became a local celebrity in Oklahoma where he owned a zoo, unsuccessfully ran for Governor and put on various animal shows. He was eventually tried and convicted on murder for hire and animal abuse charges after a multi-year feud with the owner of a animal sanctuary named Carole Baskin with her own shady backstory. The subsequent Netflix documentary, called Tiger King, became a cultural phenomenon and shot everyone involved to immediate fame.

Riding the incredible publicity, Joe Exotic publicly called for his own release, and his team of lawyers went to Washington DC to petition for a pardon. Donald Trump Jr seemed to be receptive to at least listening and mentioned the case on social media, and his lawyers even hired a limousine to take him home when the pardon came through. Unfortunately it never did and now both Exotic himself and Tiger King fans are wondering what happened, especially after President Trump pardoned several other high profile individuals including Lil Wayne and Kodak Black.

Exotic was arrested in September of 2018 and eventually sentenced to 22 years in prison after one of his acquaintances turned government informant and recorded him talking about hiring a hitman to murder Baskin. He claims he never followed through with the money and was just talking. The government obviously disagreed.

Even if he gets out for good behavior, he could be looking at another decade or more behind bars and may not be released until he’s in his 70s or even 80s. No doubt that’s torture for a natural showman like Exotic who loves the stage and attention. He would have absolutely cherished his newfound celebrity status and found his way onto every talk show imaginable. Instead, most of those appearances have gone to his longtime rival Carole Baskin, though he can at least take solace in the fact that her run on Dancing With The Stars only resulted in a fourteenth place finish.

It seems like a lifetime ago that we first feasted our eyes on Netflix’s Tiger King and learned of the bitter feud between former zoo owner Joe Exotic (whose actual name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage) and activist Carole Baskin. The rivalry reached a major turning point when Exotic was arrested on numerous charges, including two counts of murder-for-hire. Exotic, who is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence, is still hoping to get out and is currently aiming to get a pardon from President Trump and, now, Carole Baskin has weighed in on the matter.

Carole Baskin didn’t hold back when discussing the situation, saying that she can’t see why someone would see fit to release Joe Exotic from prison early. For her, the charges against Exotic are reasons why he shouldn’t be pardoned:

Based on her comments to The Morning Show, it doesn’t sound like Carole Baskin doesn’t care for the idea of Joe Exotic being released from prison early. As of right now, it’s unclear as to whether or not Exotic will actually get his wish.

Joe Exotic has been quite vocal during his incarceration. The Tiger King star gave an interview earlier in the year in which he declared that prison hadn’t made him any less “crazy.” He’s also expressed concerns about his health, especially since he was put in quarantine during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Exotic, who says he suffers from several lingering ailments, expressed fears for his life. At one point, he even claimed that he would be “dead in 2-3 months.” Despite all of this, Exotic is still feeling good about his chances of getting a pardon.

Meanwhile, Carole Baskin actually gained control of Exotic’s former G.W. Exotic Animal Memorial Park after he failed to pay Baskin $1 million owed to her in a trademark infringement dispute. Baskin was also recently a contestant on Season 29 of Dancing with the Stars, and her inclusion managed to drum up a bit of controversy. She’s also dealing with a legal battle, as she’s being sued for defamation by the family of her late husband, Don Lewis.

It can honestly be said that the Tiger King saga just keeps getting wilder as time goes on. It remains to be seen how things pan out for both Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin in their respective legal situations, but we’ll be sure to keep you posted.

And if you still haven’t seen Netflix’s Tiger King, you can do so by streaming it on Netflix.

Is Joe Exotic about to be a free man? The Tiger King star is reportedly feeling pretty confident that he is going to get out of prison soon. If you were one of the tens of millions of people who watched Netflix’s smash hit docuseries, you know that Joe Exotic is currently serving time in federal prison. Is that almost behind him, though? Exotic thinks it might be.

There is a reason why. Joe Exotic’s team reportedly believes that he may be on the verge of getting pardoned by President Donald Trump. The leader of the effort to get Exotic out of prison, Eric Love, told TMZ that the team received calls from Washington D.C. regarding a pardon. The news comes a few months after Joe Exotic argued he was two to three months from death.

Cut to November, and Joe Exotic is still alive and hopeful that his time in prison could be ending. In fact, his team is reportedly feeling so good about it that they have a Dodge Ram pickup truck stretch limo on standby to pick up Joe Exotic if the pardon comes through. As of now, Exotic is serving a 22-year sentence for numerous counts.

At 57-years-old, Joe Exotic’s current sentence puts him getting out of prison in his late 70s, which is potentially a near-life sentence. Exotic’s life in prison has reportedly included getting quarantined in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. News of a potential presidential pardon also comes after Joe Exotic launched a civil rights lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Federal Wildlife Service.

The Tiger King star dropped the suit earlier this summer with the possibility of revitalizing it, per The Oklahoman. As for the presidential pardon, inquiring minds will undoubtedly want to stand by to see if it happens. Can you imagine the hubbub if it did? It would be a sight that Tiger King’s cameras would undoubtedly want to capture, perhaps warranting another bonus episode beyond the virtual cast reunion from earlier this year.

Joe Exotic’s wild year has seen him become a household name following the massive success of the Tiger King docuseries. In an interview released earlier this year by Netflix, he laughed despite being in prison. As mentioned up above, Exotic indicated a decline that he believed had put him within months of dying. Meanwhile, Nicolas Cage is readying to play Exotic in a television adaptation for Amazon.

Will Nicolas Cage end up playing a man who has gone free from prison by the time the series comes out? Stay tuned. There could be movement either way soon. As for Joe Exotic’s arch-nemesis, Carole Baskin, she competed on Dancing with the Stars and was sued by the family of her mysteriously vanished husband. Baskin was voted off in Week 3 but not before some non-ballroom drama during the commercials.

The family of Carole Baskin’s missing husband aired an ad during her Dancing with the Stars debut. As for Joe Exotic, he remains behind bars for now. The following months could prove crucial to his bid for a presidential pardon. You can stream Tiger King on Netflix, where the docuseries has been among the streaming giant’s 2020 premieres. While you wait to see if Joe Exotic gets out of prison, peruse 2021’s winter/spring schedule.

As a hard-working actor who's only continuing to master the fine, ever-elusive art of Nouveau Shamanic, Nicolas Cage is one of our most consistently unpredictable and persistently enjoyable superstars — particularly as the Oscar winner is constantly allowing himself to make bold, audacious, and frequently bizarre acting choices which showcase his full-hearted willingness to go big and weird. Certainly, his upcoming slate of movies and shows showcases an actor eager to make some truly strange-but-nevertheless-intriguing art, including a number of promising horror films, some outlandish comedies, and even a TV biopic of Tiger King's Joe Exotic. But why would you ever expect Nic Cage to play it safe?

With 100-plus acting credits to his name, Nicolas Cage is an uncompromising screen presence, one who is always willing to make some extraordinary and truly out-there decisions. We can only hope that this tradition continues for the foreseeable future. For now, though, let's see what Cage is working on next.

Jiu Jitsu - November 20th, 2020 (Completed)

Nicolas Cage in a fantasy martial arts movie where he must defeat an alien and save the world from peril using a special brand of jiu jitsu? Say no more, I'm sold! Jiu Jitsu is the latest film starring Nicolas Cage, and it sounds absolutely bonkers. Thankfully, Cage has built a career filled with nonsensical movies, and we can only hope that he continues infusing his brand of nonsense into many more movies to follow.

If you weren't already interested in practicing Jiu Jitsu based on Cage's involvement alone, it's also worth noting that the movie co-stars Frank Grillo, Alain Moussi, and Tony Jaa, and it's based on a comic book of the same name by Jim McGrath and Dimitri Logothetis, who also directs. McGrath and Logothetis also adapted their own source material. I dunno about you, but I'm ready. It comes out November 20th.

The Croods: A New Age - November 25th, 2020 (Completed)

The Croods are back! Seven years after the release of 2013's DreamWorks Animation comedy, the titular prehistoric family returns with this fall's The Croods: A New Age.

Nicolas Cage reprises his role as Grug, the patriarch of this B.C. family. This sequel follows the continuing adventures of The Croods through lands unknown as they meet another family named the Bettermans, who claim to be more evolved and, well, better. The sequel's release date has been in a state of flux for years. In fact, at one point, it wasn't even clear if we were getting a sequel at all. Previously slated for September 18th and December 23rd, 2020, there's no guarantee that Joel Crawford's feature directorial debut will make its way into theaters and/or VOD on November 25th, but the studio is sticking by that date for the time being, at least.

Prisoners of the Ghostland - Post-Production (TBA 2020/2021)

Telling the tale of a notorious criminal who must break an evil curse in order to rescue an abducted girl, Prisoners of the Ghostland is another genre-bending horror-thriller starring Nicolas Cage. Directed by veteran filmmaker Sion Sono (Why Don't You Play In Hell?), it's expected to be a delirious, style-heavy feature, which should play well with Cage's rambunctious acting theatrics. But that's me assuming.

We haven't seen any footage from the upcoming film, though we know that Sofia Boutella, Ed Skrein, and Nick Cassavetes round out the cast. It's currently in post-production, though its release date remains undetermined. It's possible that it might get a late 2020 release, either through a film festival or a digital release, but it's more likely that Prisoners of the Ghostland will be unveiled sometime in 2021. In any case, here's hoping it's another wacky Nic Cage movie!

Pig - Post-Production (TBA 2020/2021)

A story of loss and revenge centered around a man and his beloved pig may not be what you'd expect to see whenever you go to the movies, but if there's one actor who could sell it, it's Nicolas Cage. Pig, the feature directorial debut of Michael Sarnoski, follows a lonely mushroom forager (Cage) who discovers that his adored swine is missing and seeks justice. It also stars Alex Wolff, Adam Arkin, and Gretchen Corbett.

Production began and concluded a year ago in Portland, Oregon. It's unclear when Pig is set to be released, although it was picked up by Neon earlier this year. Given their track record of releasing unconventional movies to a wide audience, Pig is in good hands. While it's expected to come out sometime in the near future, it's more-likely-than-not that it'll arrive sometime next year. Maybe even early next year.

Willy’s Wonderland - Filming (TBA)

A quiet drifter takes the night-shift janitorial position at a once-successful amusement park, only to fend for his life when the animatronics come to life and threaten to kill him, in Willy's Wonderland, a new horror film starring Nicolas Cage. Once titled Wally's Wonderland, this upcoming title follows a string of recent horror films from the famous actor, notably including 2018's Mandy and this year's Color Out of Space. Will this be another winner from the notoriously inconsistent actor?

Certainly, the premise is amusing, and it's easy to see how Nic Cage will have lots of fun fighting off evil animatronics. The movie is almost entirely shot, though additional pick-up shots are reportedly needed. When those might happen is left uncertain amid the pandemic. In any case, maybe this ridiculously silly film (which is heavily reminiscent of Five Nights at Freddy's) will be released in time for Halloween next year.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent - Filming (March 19th, 2021)

Soon, Nicolas Cage will play the character that he was born to play: Nicolas Cage. Indeed, in the role that's taken a lifetime to perfect, Nicolas Cage will embody "Nicolas Cage" in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, a meta action/dark comedy centered around a cash-strapped actor who agrees to make a paid appearance at a billionaire drug kingpin/super fan's birthday party, only to serve as an informant for the CIA. Along the way, Cage is trying to secure a part in the new Quentin Tarantino movie.

Also starring Pedro Pascal and Tiffany Haddish, this tongue-on-cheek premise started as a screenwriting exercise for Kevin Etten and Tom Gormican (who'll also direct), but they decided to throw it in Nic Cage's direction and see if he'd actually agree to make it. When the actor said yes, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent resulted in a major studio bidding war, possibly proving that this upcoming Cage comedy could be one of the actor's biggest movies in years. As well it should be. It's apparently already filming, and I cannot wait to see it. It's currently slated for March 19th, 2021, but we'll see if that sticks. It should also be noted that Cage will serve as a producer in addition to lead actor on the project, and the movie will also reportedly feature more than one Cage (not unlike Adaptation).

If that doesn't hype you up, I dunno what you're doing here.

10 Double Zero - Pre-Production (TBA)

Whether it's Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans, The Trust, or The Wicker Man, Nicolas Cage is no stranger to playing cops who cross the line in the line of duty. Sure enough, he's set to play another cop with his own sense of morals in the upcoming crime-thriller, 10 Double Zero. The movie follows a detective who goes on a personal vendetta to hunt down cop killers. Certainly, it sounds like the type of crime drama we'd expect from Nicolas Cage. But it's unclear when the new movie is expected to start shooting. 

Last year, it was reported that filming was delayed in Baton Rogue as an actor's schedule delayed the proceedings. It's unclear if the movie was able to start shooting. Productions nationwide have been shut down or pushed back. It wouldn't be surprised if this one was cancelled too.

Untitled Joe Exotic Project - Pre-Production (TBA)

Earlier this year, particularly as many people were stuck at home trying to figure out how to pass the time, Netflix viewers worldwide were engulfed in the life story of Joe Exotic, a former zoo operator, local politician, and convicted felon who became the central subject of the much-watched docu-series, Tiger King. This boisterous, larger-than-life personality was a dream role for many actors, and there was no doubt that many Hollywood personalities would soon be trying their hand to book the role of this truly wild persona.

But while everyone (including me) had their picks for who should play the criminal character, Nic Cage became the first to pick up the part in an untitled Amazon Prime limited series. Based on a Texas Monthly article by Leif Reigstad, this series was initially set-up for CBS before Amazon acquired it. More updates and developments should arrive in the months to follow.

Highfire - Announced (TBA)

Have you ever wanted to see Nicolas Cage play a dragon who loves vodka and Flashdance? Well, by golly, here's your chance — thanks to Amazon Prime.

Nic Cage is signed on to executive produce and lend his voice to the new series, Highfire, based on the book of the same name by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl). As reported by Deadline, the story is described as "True Detective by way of Pete's Dragon," as it'll be a gritty, genre-bending crime-thriller with magical elements and a large dragon named Lord Highfire who lives the bayous of Louisiana, watches copious TV, and drinks obscene amounts of liquor. If you're like me, your interest has already been piqued. The new show will come courtesy of Davey Holmes, the creator and executive producer of Epix's Get Shorty. Details remain limited otherwise, but this is certainly an intriguing premise, and one that hopefully proves to be fiery fun.

National Treasure 3 - Announced (TBA)

Will we ever get National Treasure 3? The long-delayed sequel has seen many false starts and weathered many unfulfilled promises over the course of the past decade-plus, and it's hard not to feel doubtful. But it's reportedly not dead yet. Earlier this May, producer Jerry Bruckheimer insisted that the trilogy-capping sequel was still happening, and he claimed that the original cast was set to return. Furthermore, he noted that there will also be a Disney+ series with a younger cast. Whether or not that further delays or expedites the sequel remains undetermined.

Nevertheless, Jerry Bruckheimer said both National Treasure projects are "very active." Certainly, National Treasure 3 has seen a revolving door of screenwriters join the project and contribute to the fluctuating screenplay. Whether they're settled on a script or they're still in the writing process is uncertain. Nevertheless, National Treasure 3 isn't buried yet.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2? - Filming (October 7th, 2022)

Nowadays, Spider-Man never wanders too far from the silver screen, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to know that we'll be getting another Spider-Man movie in the near future. In addition to MCU's forthcoming Spider-Man 3, there's also Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2, a much-anticipated sequel to Sony Animation's Oscar-winning 2018 animated movie. With its release date currently set for October 7th, 2022, the production is already underway. Filming began earlier this year, and since it's an animation production, we shouldn't expect (or worry about) too many delays in its future.

Nevertheless, details remain vague. While we know that Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld are slated to reprise their roles as Miles Morales and Gwen Stacey, respectively, the rest of the cast isn't currently confirmed. Will Nicolas Cage's Spider-Man Noir return? We'll have to wait to find out.

Which special infusion of Nouveau Shamanic are you looking forward to the most? Be sure to let us know in the comment section below.

The disappearance of Carole Baskin’s first husband, Don Lewis, was one of the various topics that was covered in Netflix’s Tiger King docuseries. In the doc, Lewis’ family expressed skepticism regarding his whereabouts and accused Baskin of having a hand in his disappearance. Recently, the family debuted a commercial, which aired during Dancing with the Stars (on which Baskin is a contestant this season).

In the commercial, Lewis’ daughters and former assistant made an appeal to the public for information regarding his disappearance and Baskin’s suspected involvement. Now, the family has taken things a step further by suing Baskin.

Don Lewis’ family is suing Carole Basking for defamation. According to court documents (via ET), Lewis’ three daughters, Gale, Lynda and Donna, and former assistant Anne McQueen allege that Baskin was “complicit with jokes” regarding Lewis’ death while competing on Dancing with the Stars. The family believes Baskin did not make attempts to shoot down or condemn the comments made on the show.

The family’s lawsuit also claims that Carole Baskin was also complicit with jokes that were made about Lewis during a recent Good Morning America interview. The statement in question was a remark made by Baskin, who said she’d “really kill it next week” on DWTS. In a statement to the trade, Jon Phillips, the Lewis family’s attorney, explained that this defamation lawsuit was filed as Baskin settled a libel and slander claim with Anne McQueen which goes back to 1998. Baskin ultimately paid $50,000 in the settlement. Phillips also chastised Dancing with the Stars producers for allegedly making jokes as well.

Court documents also claim that Carole Baskin has recently published new information about her relationship with Don Lewis through videos that Baskin claims are from the past. Phillips alleges that Baskin used Tiger King as “a springboard” for exposure and that she’s currently using the videos to do the same. He says this is why Lewis’ family chose to take action:

This is far from the first legal battle Carole Baskin has been involved with in recent years. Earlier this summer, a federal judge granted her full control of Joe Exotic’s G.W. Exotic Animal Memorial Park. Baskin had previously engaged in a trademark infringement lawsuit with Exotic. The court ultimately ruled in her favor and required Exotic to pay her a sum of $1 million, though he reportedly never paid the full amount.

Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more news from the world of TV and movies.

The Tiger King saga has been a long and admittedly, weird one, to say the least, as the drama surrounding the rise and fall of Joe Exotic just doesn’t seem to be going away. With Exotic currently serving a 22-year prison sentence, Jeff Lowe received ownership of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park. But Exotic’s rival, Carole Baskin, gained control of the grounds after a judge ruled that the property was “fraudulently transferred,” stemming from a copyright lawsuit previously filed by Baskin.

Jeff Lowe, who vowed to leave the property in shambles for Baskin, was required by law to vacate the area and remove all of the animals within 120 days of the ruling. Now, a new development seems to have sped up the closure of the park. Not only that, but it sounds like Lowe’s plans for his new park in Thackerville, Oklahoma have changed.

In a now-deleted post from the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park’s Facebook page, Lowe confirmed that the park will be closing for good, effectively immediately. The park’s closure comes after the US Department of Agriculture suspended Lowe’s exhibitor license. Despite the closure, the zoo operator is already looking ahead to the future. Lowe explained (via CNN) that the new park will serve as a private, film set, where Tiger King-related content will be produced for cable and streaming services.

The suspension of Lowe’s license comes after a USDA inspection found multiple violations, like animal food not being sufficiently refrigerated. Inspections also reported that animals appeared to be malnourished. Lowe claims he’s being targeted by animal groups and that the USDA is only folding to pressure from activists.

Before the inspection, the zoo was already in danger of closing as, earlier this year, the Oklahoma Tax Commission asked a judge to shut down the park due to delinquent tax sales. Reports claimed that Lowe and the park owed tens of thousands of dollars in taxes. Lowe was asked to cease all business operations after this, but he kept the park open, which is considered a misdemeanor punishable by fine or jail time.

Joe Exotic originally brought Jeff Lowe into the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in an attempt to improve the park. However, their visions for the park’s future soon clashed, and Exotic would accuse Lowe of trying to push him out of his business. But that didn’t stop Exotic from putting the park in Lowe’s name due to his own personal set of legal problems.

With the park closed, Lowe doesn’t seem to have any regrets, as he’s even previously spoken about his desire to leave the park behind and start anew. It’ll be interesting to see what’s left of the grounds when Carole Baskin officially takes ownership.

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Although Netflix’s Tiger King docuseries aired months ago and Joe Exotic is now serving a 22-year prison sentence, the saga of his controversial zoo seems to be far from finished. The most recent development in the story saw ownership of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park go to Exotic’s longtime rival, Carole Baskin. However, the current owner -- Jeff Lowe -- has another hurdle to face, as the facility is now in danger of being shut down. But why is the zoo now facing closure?

Apparently, a judge has been asked by the Oklahoma Tax Commission to formally shut down the park on the grounds of delinquent tax sales. Per USA Today, owner Jeff Lowe and the park owe $50,274 in taxes that were collected in 2016. In addition, both Lowe and the zoo have yet to pay an undisclosed amount of taxes since then.

Jeff Lowe was ultimately told to cease all business operations when the Oklahoma Tax Commission refused to renew his tax permit back in May. Despite this, as explained by lawyers, Lowe has violated state law by keeping the park open, “which provides that it is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine or jail time to conduct business without the requisite licensing.”

Some may be surprised that Jeff Lowe is still keeping things running against government orders, but the park has actually experienced a spike in popularity since the debut of the docuseries. The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park has reportedly garnered visitors from the across the country over the past several months.

Jeff Lowe was initially brought in by Joseph Maldonado-Passage (or Joe Exotic) to assist in enhancing the business. Maldonado-Passage would eventually put the park in Lowe’s name since he himself was dealing with legal problems at the time. And when Exotic eventually went to jail, Lowe and his wife became the co-operators of the zoo.

Despite keeping the park open, it’s become clear that Jeff Lowe has no love for Exotic’s property. The zoo owner has stated that he’s more than ready to leave the grounds and the memories of working with Joe Exotic behind. After he vacates the premises, he’s even planning to open up an even bigger facility in Thackerville, Oklahoma sometime this fall.

And by the time he leaves, he’s not exactly aiming to have things in the best shape for the incoming Carole Baskin. According to Lowe, the park is in a state of “complete hell,” and he has no plans to fix things up before heading out.

It’s unclear as to how Jeff Lowe plans to proceed following this new court order, especially given that his time as owner is just about up. All that can be said is that this paired with Carole Baskin’s ownership makes the future of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park fairly uncertain.

And if you still haven’t seen how it all began, you can still check out Tiger King on Netflix now.

Netflix’s Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness made Joe Exotic — whose legal name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage — a household name. However, now that the docuseries is no longer trending as much, Exotic’s star has lost some of its shine. While his husband Dillon Passage has been enjoying newfound popularity, Exotic is still trying to get out of prison, and is now making the stark claim that he’ll “be dead in 2-3 months.”

The former zoo owner is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence, having been convicted of two counts of murder-for-hire.(That's along with 17 other crimes, including nine counts of violating the Endangered Species Act.) From prison, Joe Exotic wrote a letter to his "supporters, fans, and loved ones,” which was acquired by TMZ. In it, he wrote three full pages filled with general grievances, some of which detailed the abuse of the prison system that he believed would contribute to his eventual death. He also asked President Trump, Cardi B, and Kim Kardashian for their assistance in his release from prison, believing the current health crisis to be over (which it’s not). Read some of what he wrote below:

Joe Exotic’s letter also reveals that the former zoo owner has not been visited by his husband for quite some time. (Dillon Passage recently partied it up with Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle star Bryce Hirschberg, however.) Exotic is clearly upset about the lack of communication from Passage and rather morosely claims that he should have just “have ended things” after the death of husband Travis Maldonado in 2017.

What’s more, Joe Exotic sounds incredibly annoyed that people are sending him screenshots of Dillon Passage. He claimed that it’s not funny and “not healthy” for him to see his husband hanging out with friends while he’s in prison. Most of the letter is quite despondent, with Exotic also writing:

Joe Exotic sounds a lot less hopeful than in the interview he provided Netflix with in March, where he promised that he would be “as crazy” when he eventually leaves prison (and he thinks he will). While Exotic’s been behind bars, his rival Carole Baskin has gained control over his zoo, and Nicolas Cage has been cast to play Exotic in a TV series, with other projects also in the works. Perhaps this is what Exotic meant about people making money off of him while he’s in prison.

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness is currently streaming on Netflix. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates on Joe Exotic. For more on what to watch in the meantime, be sure to check out our 2020 summer TV premiere guide.

Just when it seemed the Tiger King craze was settling down, the Netflix docu-series' main subjects just keep making headlines in the show's wake. Joe Exotic's famed tiger zoo was awarded to Carole Baskin, and while the establishment's current operator Jeff Lowe has promised to make that experience miserable for her, she may have far bigger issues on the way. A sheriff involved in the case of Baskin's ex-husband has shared intriguing details about his death and disappearance, confirming there's more shadiness involved than viewers may have known.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister has confirmed new information about the death of Don Lewis, as well as some of the suspicious activity that led investigators to believe Carole Baskin had a hand in his initial disappearance. Chronister talked specifically about observations made concerning Lewis' will, which transferred his fortune solely to Carole Baskin after his death. Here's how he put it to Tampa Bay's WTSP.

Though there were big suspicions previously that the signature on the will had been forged, based on the claims made by a woman who said she was forced to lie about being a witness for the will's signing, but having it now be proven true by two different experts is hopefully a step in the right direction. But the reason why authorities hadn't been able to move forward with a case there is because the statute of limitations had already expired. In Chad Chronister's words:

That suspicion has been enough to keep authorities interested, and having that confirmation could help to take things to the next step. As reported, the will of Don Lewis awarded his $10 million estate to Carole Baskin. The rest of his family was cut out of the fortune entirely, which is made all the more relevant now that experts have justified the police's suspicions that the will's signature was forged. That's enough to make even the most casual Tiger King viewer raise an eyebrow, much less all the conspiracy theorists who peg Baskin as the guilty party.

Chad Chronister has gone on the record and said he believes Carole Baskin played a role in Don Lewis' death, which may be why the department is still talking about the case years after its conclusion. As for the latest, Chronister revealed there's some new news in regards to the case that could become bigger news down the road, even if he couldn't share details. In his words:

Each passing day is only giving Netflix more content for Tiger King Season 2, but that's not a thing yet. While the streamer has added an after-show special with Joel McHale, it seems like anyone waiting for more Tiger King episodes will have to continue waiting until someone pulls the trigger. Personally, I'd say there's already more content than what Netflix had for Season 2 of Making A Murderer, so here's hoping the streaming service picks things up with Baskin and the zoo and see what happens next.

For anyone who still hasn't seen Tiger King yet, all episodes are up and currently available to stream on Netflix. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for the latest news and updates on popular docuseries, and for a look at what's happening in television and movies the rest of 2020 and beyond.

A lot has happened since the events of the highly controversial (and extremely popular) Tiger King docuseries. The eponymous former zoo owner, Joseph Maldonado-Passage (or Joe Exotic), is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence, while his former employees have become something of celebrities due to their involvement in the Netflix documentary. More recently, Exotic’s longtime rival, Carole Baskin, has just been granted control of his properties, meaning current operator Jeff Lowe must leave, but he isn’t exactly planning to straighten things up before he heads out.

Jeff Lowe has confirmed that he won’t be taking care of things around the G.W. Exotic Animal Memorial Park as he prepares to vacate the area, and that may not be a good thing for Carole Baskin. According to Lowe, the park is in currently in a state of “complete hell.”

Part of the reason Jeff Lowe appears to be so anxious to leave the site is that he associates it with bad memories of working with Exotic. At this point, he and his wife, Lauren, are more focused on leaving everything behind and starting fresh in Thackerville, Oklahoma:

Jeff Lowe’s plan is to open a larger animal park in Thackerville sometime in the fall, which adds to his disinterest in Joe Exotic’s old park. Despite everything, he did wish Carole Baskin good luck in taking over but did stress that getting things up and running won’t be easy. Lowe went on to tell ET that the 16-acre park was never a good place for business, as he believes it was poorly constructed.

Although both Jeff Lowe and Joe Exotic had their problems with Carole Baskin, the two also came to blows themselves over the course of the documentary. Exotic brought in Lowe as a business partner to help improve the park. But ultimately, the two came to blows when their ideologies clashed, with Exotic believing that Lowe was attempting to push him out of his business.

During this time, Jeff Lowe also offered to assist Joe Exotic with his legal problems and, as a result, Exotic ended up putting the park in his name. This would, of course, lead to Lowe and his wife to gain total ownership following Exotic’s arrest in 2018.

Tiger King featured more than enough drama on its own, so it’s crazy to think that there’s it’s not over just yet. Though Carole Baskin’s ownership and Jeff Lowe’s departure may indeed signify the end of what’s been a long (and honestly unbelievable) road. We’ll just have to wait and see how the two progress in their new ventures. And while we do that, we can still relive the original series, which is still streaming on Netflix.

Anyone who’s seen Netflix’s Tiger King knows that one of the focal points of the widely viewed docuseries was the rivalry between Joe Exotic and big-cat activist and sanctuary owner Carole Baskin. Baskin took issue with Exotic’s Oklahoma-based Zoo. This resulted in a feud that spread across the internet and, eventually, into the courtroom. Now, there’s been a major turning point in Baskin’s legal battle with Exotic’s company, one that has granted her control of his former territory.

A federal judge has granted Carole Baskin control of the zoo that belonged to Joseph Maldonado-Passage (Joe Exotic), per the Courtroom News Service. Exotic, who is currently serving a stint in prison on two counts of murder for hire, was sued by Baskin for trademark infringement before he was arrested. The judge ruled in Baskin’s favor and required Exotic to pay her roughly $1 million, though Baskin never received the full total. Now, the judge has ruled that Maldanado-Passage’s properties were “fraudulently transferred,” resulting in Baskin receiving ownership of them.

In addition to owning the 16 acres of land, Carole Baskin was also given ownership of several cabins and vehicles on the premises.

The judge has also ordered fellow Tiger King star Jeff Lowe, who is the current operator of Exotic’s G.W. Exotic Animal Memorial Park, to leave the property within 120 days and remove all of the animals. In a statement to CNN, Lowe’s attorney revealed that they weren’t surprised by the verdict:

Carole Baskin and Joe Exotic’s rivalry was intense from the start. Baskin used social media to speak out against Exotic and, in response, the zoo owner created brutal videos in which he used Baskin’s likeness.

Following Tiger King’s debut, Carole Baskin has quickly achieved fame and has easily become one of the most recognizable faces from the show. However, she’s also become the subject of scrutiny herself, specifically in regard to the circumstances surrounding her first husband’s death.

Nevertheless, numerous scripted TV and film adaptations of Tiger King are currently in development and several stars, including Tara Reid are being circled to play the animal rights activist.

With Joe Exotic now in prison and Carole Baskin in possession of his assets, it would appear that their infamous rivalry has finally reached its conclusion. At this point, it’s unclear as to what exactly Baskin plans to do with the land, but there’s a firm chance that we’ll find out sooner rather than later. If you’ve still yet to see the Tiger King docuseries, it’s currently available to stream on Netflix.

At this point, it’s safe to say Netflix’s Tiger King has become an indisputable phenomenon. As such, TV and film producers across Hollywood are looking to capitalize on its success with scripted adaptations about the tale of Joe Exotic. A key person in Exotic’s story is Carole Baskin, the big cat conservationist with whom Exotic had a bitter feud. And it would seem that at least one Tiger King production has the perfect actress in mind to play the animal activist.

Sharknado star Tara Reid is reportedly being courted by producers to play Carole Baskin in a live-action film adaptation of Tiger King. Reid’s manager and business partner, Phillipe Ashfield, confirmed the news to People though, in a statement to the trade, he stressed that talks are still in the early stages:

According to the trade, Tara Reid is a fan of the original docuseries, as some other celebrities are, and feels that she can accurately embody the role of Carole Baskin.

In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, Tara Reid was known for playing teenage roles in films like American Pie, Girl and Cruel Intentions. Movies like The Big Lebowski and Josie and the Pussycats would also see her play ditzier characters. In recent years, she’s still done romance and comedy, but she’s also starred in more unconventional projects, specifically the Sharknado franchise.

Tara Reid is definitely not the first actor to be linked to one of the various Tiger King-related projects in development. SNL star Kate McKinnon has also been tapped to portray her own version of Carole Baskin in Universal Content Productions’ adaptation of Wondery’s Joe Exoctic podcast. In addition, Nicolas Cage has reportedly signed on to play Joe Exotic himself in an eight-episode series from Imagine Television Studios and CBS Television Studios.

The original Tiger King docuseries chronicled the exploits of Oklahoma-based zoo operator Joe Exotic and details his rise as an entertainer and entrepreneur and his eventual arrest on counts of animal abuse and murder for hire. The latter charge refers to his alleged attempts to have Carole Baskin killed. Baskin herself also became a somewhat controversial figure in the series and has received plenty of media attention since it premiered.

It can’t be denied that Tara Reid physically resembles Carole Baskin, and her experience with roles that are a bit “quirky” could make her just the right fit for the role. It remains to be seen if she’ll officially land the part but, if she does, one can only imagine who will be cast to play Joe Exotic opposite her Baskin.

Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more updates as they come and for all news from the world of movies and TV.

It was only a matter of time before Joe Exotic got a biopic. The captivating subject of Netflix's immensely-popular docuseries, Tiger King, has sparked a lot of interest in the former wildlife zoo operator's wacky history. The larger-than-life media personality was destined to be the source of a Hollywood production — particularly with a tale filled with drugs, sex, wild animals, violence, bizarre real-life characters, and criminal activity galore, including attempted murder. But who would play this gun-loving, mullet-rocking convicted criminal? 

Many big-name actors were suggested. Several others threw their hats into the ring. Now, we have an answer. As it was announced last week, Nicolas Cage will become Joe Exotic in an upcoming mini-series inspired by Exotic's stranger-than-fiction story. It's certainly an inspired choice. The Academy Award-winning actor typically plays kooky, deviant characters, and several performances prove he has what it takes to play this wildly-publicized persona.

Raising Arizona

The Coen brothers are masters at making crime comedies based on knuckleheads with overly-confident delusions of grandeur. One of the filmmaking duo's earliest, quirkiest triumphs, 1987's Raising Arizona, allowed the acclaimed filmmaking team to work with Nicolas Cage for the first-and-currently-only time, and it produced one of his funniest, liveliest performances as H.I. "Hi" McDunnough, an ex-con in a childless relationship with an ex-cop who kidnap one quintuplet baby from another family, to hilariously disastrous results. 

While this criminal concept could've been equally disastrous, the Coens adopt a broadly comedic tone, resulting in one of their silliest, most playful movies. And Cage deserves a great deal of credit. His endearing performance, filled with lughead charm, is immensely appealing, emboldening him to play up his goofier tendencies in a winningly rambunctious way. If his take on Joe Exotic can capture a similarly radiant captivation, it'll be a surefire success.

Mandy

Revenge flicks can be a dime a dozen for Nicolas Cage. He knows how to play a man who wants to right some wrongs, either real injustices or perceived, but only a few (if many at all) capture the manic, majestic ecstasy of Mandy. This Sundance darling's plot might be the kind of movie you'd expect from Cage's Redbox selection. It follows a socially-isolated, yet quietly peaceful, man who takes bloody revenge on a drug-addled hippie cult who brutally killed his lover. But the results are splashy and sensationally gory, and through its atmospheric presentation, dazzling visuals and mesmerizing score, Mandy captures a radiantly, wondrously style-driven descent into madness, with Cage's dedicated performance driving our vengeful protagonist's emotional journey. What could've been another throwback vigilante flick becomes a moody, memorable acid trip of a movie with an excellent Cage performance. Plus, it has a tiger. Coincidence? I think not.

Joe

After all, it's in the name. Yes, before Nicolas Cage agreed to play Joe Exotic, he played another Joe altogether: specifically, the title character in David Gordon Green's overlooked 2013 crime drama, Joe. Centered around a tormented foreman who takes 15-year-old Gary Jones (Tye Sheridan) under his wing and protects him from his abusive father, Joe was a nuanced, compelling return to the understated performances that Cage once left behind. 

Joe Ransom is a grounded, introspective character, allowing Cage to become a nicely honed character who showcases his fine dramatic range. Even when crime factors into the tale, Cage's signature rage is intriguingly intuitive, more internalized than bombastic. This intense drama shows how Cage, even when he's seeking vengeance, can allow himself to be more refined and reflective, which might not necessarily factor into his Exotic performance, but it demonstrates the quieter indignation that this show will hopefully explore.

Wild At Heart

David Lynch and Nicolas Cage are a hell of a pair. The auteur and actor are a match made in heaven or hell. If you know which, don't tell me. But they've only made one movie together, 1990's romantic crime-comedy Wild at Heart, which (expectedly) gives us a classic Cage Rage performance. In this film, Cage and Laura Dern play two lovers desperately on the run from both her domineering mother and the dangerous men hired to killed Cage's Sailor Ripley. The road trip movie finds Cage playing a Southern romantic outlaw who fits Cage's brand of passionate, yet dangerous, lovers. Certainly, that fiery mix of zeal and peril makes Sailor an easy comparison to Joe Exotic, who mixed romance and risk into his every waking moment. While Sailor has a softer heart than Exotic, his unwavering recklessness demonstrates that Cage knows how to go... wild.

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call — New Orleans

Even by Nicolas Cage's standards, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call — New Orleans is next-level madness. Inspired by 1992's Bad Lieutenant, but neither a sequel nor prequel to that film, the Werner Herzog movie follows Cage as a corrupt New Orleans police sergeant in 2005 who indulges in all sorts of unsavory behavior. Whether it's waving his gun at innocent civilians or consuming or snorting so many illegal narcotics that he envisions iguanas and breakdancers inexplicably appearing in his everyday life, Bad Lieutenant sees Cage at full blast, fully committed to playing this gun-waving, down-and-dirty officer of the law who does almost everything short of protecting and serving the public. It's an intensely insane performance, and we would only be so lucky to see even a sliver of this deranged commitment to this character appear in his upcoming portrayal of Joe Exotic.

Leaving Las Vegas

In his Oscar-winning performance, Nicolas Cage plays Ben Sanderson, a suicidal alcoholic screenwriter who heads to Vegas to drink himself to death. His addiction has cost him everything, and we watch Cage as he becomes a completely-broken character who'd rather drink away his life than fix it. As you'd expect, it's a depressing, fittingly sober film, filled with morose reflections of a man unwilling to dig himself out of his rut and seek treatment. What could've been an utterly devastating movie, however, becomes bleakly engrossing through Cage's compellingly unhinged performance. It's somber-yet-invigorated, filled with remorse and tragedy, which shows Cage's unbridled dedication to his morally-unyielded characters. As many binge-friendly viewers know, Joe Exotic's story carries a similarly dark fascination in Tiger King. Especially by its conclusion, you're left in disbelieving awe at this maddeningly engrossing personality. If anyone could capture that balance of repugnant fascination, it's Cage.

Con Air

Ludicrous though it might be, it's hard not to be won over by Con Air's watchable foolishness. With its silly, cheeky, high-testosterone stylishness that is undeniably a product of the late '90s, this nonsenical action-thriller might not be the smartness or most logical movie you'll ever see, but it's a delightfully dim-witted dude flick that you can easily enjoy with your buddies. Grab a bunch of beers and it'll slap a big, goofy grin onto your face. The whole ensemble does a good job committing to the bit, but it's ultimately Cage's Southern-fried leading man turn that really captures the charm of this buffoonish blockbuster, with this self-aware turn providing no shortage of wacky fun in this Jerry Bruckheimer production. This absurdly nonsenical film seems like a good gateway for Cage's Joe Exotic. Above all else, it certifies one thing: Cage can rock a hell of a mullet.

Bonus: Army Of One

Admittedly, Army of One is a woefully terrible satire with an impressively bad performance from Nicolas Cage. Suffice to say, it doesn't give us confidence in his Tiger King portrayal. But this true story, loosely based on a construction worker who thought God wanted him to single-handedly kill Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, gives Cage one of his wackiest, goofiest performances in recent memory. It's not necessarily good, but it's easy to see how elements of this true-life character might factor into his Joe Exotic. Specifically, Cage's complete willingness to immerse himself into a character — no matter how silly and crass — suggests he'll play Exotic will total reckless abandonment. He won't be afraid to relish the most absurdist aspects of Joe's wild-and-out persona. And Army Of One proves that Cage can confidently walk around with an arsenal of weapons, which will come in handy.

Are you looking forward to seeing Nicolas Cage's take on Joe Exotic? What is your favorite Nic Cage performance? Let us know in the comments!

Anyone familiar with Nicolas Cage’s acting work knows that the man has picked some… interesting roles over the years, and with such roles have come equally interesting performance choices. Okay, let’s not mince words, the man can be downright weird on screen sometimes, but that’ll be to his advantage for an upcoming project, as he’s been tapped to play Joe Exotic, who was one of the main players of the Netflix docuseries Tiger King.

Imagine Television Studios and CBS Television Studios are joining forces for an eight-episode scripted series based on the Texas Monthly article “Joe Exotic: A Dark Journey Into the World of a Man Gone Wild,” by Leif Reigstad. As Variety reported, this series will follow Nicolas Cage’s Joe Exotic, real name Joe Schreibvogel, fighting to keep his animal park “even at the risk of losing his sanity,” as well as delve into how he built the Joe Exotic persona and “lost himself to a character of his own creation.”

Chances are most, if not all of you reading this have watched Tiger King on Netflix, or have at least heard about the insane events it chronicles. However, on the off chance the name Joe Exotic hasn’t crossed your radar over the last couple months, he once operated the G.W. Zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, and is currently serving a federal prison sentence not just for numerous violations of the Lacey Act and Endangered Species Act, but because he was convicted of hiring someone to kill Carole Baskin, who operates Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida.

Of all the actors to be hired to play Joe Exotic, Nicolas Cage is an inspired choice. Fingers crossed he’ll be able to properly replicate, or at least come as close as possible to pulling off Exotic’s eccentricities and mannerisms, as shown off in the below video:

Outside of hosting Saturday Night Live twice, this Joe Exotic series will mark Nicolas Cage’s first major television project, having spent decades leaving his mark on the film world with content like Raising Arizona, Leaving Las Vegas, Face/Off, National Treasure and Color Out of Space. Cage’s upcoming movies include Pig, Wally’s Wonderland and The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, the latter of which will see Cage playing an exaggerated version of himself.

This Joe Exotic series is being taken to market in the coming days. Since it’s eight episodes, I imagine that means it’ll end up on either a premium cable channel or a streaming service, with CBS All Access being a logical choice in the latter category since CBS Television Studios is involved. American Vandal’s Dan Lagana, who optioned Leif Reigstad’s article with Paul Young, will serve as writer, showrunner, and executive producer, while Young will executive produce through Make Good Content.

It’s also worth mentioning that this isn’t the only scripted series in the works connected to the events explored in Tiger King. SNL’s Kate McKinnon has been tapped to play Carole Baskin in an adaptation of the Wondery podcast “Joe Exotic,” which the actress will also executive produce. Rob Lowe also revealed early last month that he was in talks with American Horror Story’s Ryan Murphy to make a film or limited series about Joe Exotic, which would star Lowe in the central role.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates concerning the Nicolas Cage-led Joe Exotic series and any other major news in the Tiger King sphere. For now, keep track of what’s currently on the airwaves with our handy TV schedule.

Despite having been released over a month ago, Tiger King mania still appears to be alive and well, as fans are still tuning into to see the exploits of the man called Joe Exotic. Now, it would seem the controversial docuseries has another fan in the form of WWE's Paige and she paid the scorned ex-Zoo owner in a big way.

During a meeting for WWE Backstage, Paige appeared on the video chat fully dressed as Tiger King's Joe Exotic and the results are pretty on point. Check her out in the second title to the right in the top row of this screenshot:

I think it's safe to say that Paige fully committed to the role of Joe Exotic. As you can see, she even has the signature handlebar mustache and plaid shirt, so this bit of cosplay should be commended. It's worth mentioning that Paige’s Joe Exotic look is not the only Tiger King aspect of her tweet. Though, the next one has nothing to do with Exotic himself.

The other refers to Joe Exotic’s nemesis, Carole Baskin. Tiger King chronicles the notorious and intense feud that breaks out between them. One of the things made most famous by the show is Baskin’s catchphrase, which she opens everyone of her videos with. The phrase “Hey, all you cool cats and kittens” is one that fans have all come to know quickly, and Paige found a way to playfully inject it into her caption. The next aspect of the tweet to read as Tiger King related is probably not purposeful, but it's still worth pointing out.

The online chat meeting personally brings to mind the extra episode of Tiger King that fans got following the show's initial run. Joel McHale hosted the after-show, which featured interviews with several of the people featured in the docuseries. It also included more wild stories that weren't featured in the first seven episodes. All in all, WWE Backstage's set-up is very reminiscent of the way McHale organized his video chat.

You have to hand it to the WWE star for packing so much Tiger King content into a single tweet. Paige definitely got creative, even if the reference regarding the chat screen is probably incidental. Believe it or not, she's not the first person to dress up as the Tiger King star. When the Netflix series was just starting to make waves, Reno 911’s Thomas Lennon went on The Late Show dressed as Exotic and did an impression of him.

Both Paige and Thomas Lennon's Tiger King references are further indications of the overwhelming impact the show has had. Everyone from Prince William to Jared Leto has had something to say about the series. It has been one wild pop culture ride, and there's a good chance its reach will only grow within the coming months as people's sheer curiosity draws them to the show.

And at this point, it's hard to doubt the idea of its fanbase growing even more. Netflix projects that 64 million member accounts tuned in for Tiger King during its first month. It's hard to argue with those numbers.

If you want to take it in for the first time or watch it all over again, you can stream Tiger King on Netflix now, along with this year's other new content. And if you need anything else to consider watching, there are always this summer’s premieres.

As anyone who has watched it can tell you, Tiger King is one hell of a ride. In addition to exposing some truly horrific abuses in the world of big cat ownership, it also reveals that particular world is one full of some ridiculous characters and truly terrible people – the central three being Joe Exotic, Carole Baskin, and Bhagavan "Doc" Antle. The series manages to jam a hell of a lot of content into 317 minutes, but in the weeks since its release it’s been proven that there are still a lot more details within the larger story that we don’t know about. Hence, we now have The Tiger And I to enjoy.

Netflix has launched the 40-minute piece as an extra episode of Tiger King, featuring host Joel McHale talking with numerous people from the documentary who have seen their lives totally change as a result of the series. Much of the show is dedicated to catching up with the individuals and their reactions to the massively popular release, but they also provided us with some more wild stories that have once again dropped our jaws… and we have highlighted the six best right here:

Joe Exotic Is Apparently Terrified Of Big Cats

Based on what’s shown in Tiger King, big cat owners seem to love the power rush that comes with being around massive creatures that can easily tear them to pieces – but according to Robert Kirkham, everything we see in that regard from Joe Exotic is purely for show and an ego demonstration. The former O’Reilly Factor producer says that Exotic is actually “terrified of lions and tigers,” and had a particular trick to make himself look braver than he was: one of the cats he was regular filmed with was blind, and the other one was sedated with tranquilizers. With that in mind, it doesn’t really seem to be fitting to call him the “Tiger King,” now does it?

Joe Exotic Blew Up John Reinke’s Golf Cart And Cabin

Toward the end of Tiger King, things start to get a bit more violent and explosive, with the murder-for-hire plot emerging, and Joe Exotic’s film studio burning to the ground, but John Reinke reveals in The Tiger And I that there were more episodes involving fire that weren’t covered in the seven episode documentary series. While the animal handler formerly employed at Exotic’s zoo didn’t provide much in the way of context, apparently his boss decided to blow up Reinke’s golf cart and his cabin. Sadly there weren’t any follow-up questions answered about these incidents providing any kind of explanation for why they happened, so we’ll just have to wait for another follow-up episode to provide the details.

Joe Exotic Shot A Horse And Fed It To His Cats

There is a good portion of The Tiger And I that drives home the horrible animal abuse that occurred on Joe Exotic’s watch, but Robert Kirkham’s story about a horse that was left in the zoo owner’s care particularly illustrates why the so-called Tiger King deserves to be in prison serving the sentence he was given. According to Kirkham, a woman traveled to the property with an ailing horse believing that she could leave it with Exotic so that he could give the equine a good home and proper care before it died. As soon as she drove off, however, Exotic took out a gun and shot the horse in the head, telling his producer that he didn’t take care of other people’s animals and that it would just be used for feeding his cats.

Joshua Dial Knew He Was Working With S "Natshit Crazy Person" Going In

One of the most memorable lines in all of Tiger King is featured in Joshua Dial’s introduction, explaining that the 18 months that he spent as Joe Exotic’s campaign manager was “the worst experience of [his] life.” As revealed in The Tiger And I, however, it was evidently a job that the proud libertarian recognized as hazardous from the very beginning. Rather than seeing working for Exotic as an opportunity to get into politics and then discover his boss’ eccentricities along the way, the former campaign manager knew that he was working for a “batshit crazy person” before he went to the zoo looking for a job. Hopefully people in the future will learn a lesson from Dial and avoid employment from people who fit that description.

Joe Exotic Sought Comfort From A Shaman After Travis’ Death

In our modern world, there are many resources that a person can utilize following a traumatic event, from personal and group therapy, to various help lines, but Joe Exotic decided not to pursue any of those traditional routes following the unexpected death of his husband, Travis Maldonado. Per Joshua Dial, who experienced his own trauma having personally witnessed Maldonado’s accidental death, the only kind of counseling that Exotic got after the incident was from an unnamed shaman. In The Tiger And I, Dial expresses that he doesn’t hold any particular prejudice against holistic approaches towards grief, but he also believes that the shaman didn’t help his employer, and instead actually did more harm than good.

Joe Exotic Kept People Down By Telling Them They Couldn’t Run The Zoo

Tiger King is arguably a series about a trio of big cat-centric cults, with each of the organizations featuring many of the recognizable traits – including hierarchies serving under an eccentric leader, and recruitment strategies typically targeting destitute and vulnerable individuals. Right alongside these behaviors is leaders belittling their followers in order to secure their position at the top, and John Reinke reveals in The Tiger And I that Joe Exotic did this constantly. Reinke says that the zoo owner never recognized his contributions to the park and the work that he was doing taking care of the animals, and instead regularly demeaned him and other employees by telling them that he couldn’t run the zoo, and wouldn’t know how to if he tried. “He always tried to keep people smaller than him, Reinke explains in the follow-up episode.

The world of Tiger King seems to be an endless well of fascinating stories, and The Tiger And I is just the latest piece to reveal more of the insanity. The whole thing definitely isn’t going away any time soon, so stay tuned here on CinemaBlend as we continue to track this wild tale.

Netflix’s Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is still incredibly popular but, now that it’s been a few weeks since its release, information has been pouring out about what happened to the tigers after the docuseries wrapped and certain elements that could have gotten more screentime. There’s still a lot of behind-the-scenes info coming to light, that’s for sure. Most recently, Tiger King’s Rick Kirkham revealed a gruesome incident that was left out of the docuseries altogether.

Rick Kirkham, who once served as producer of Joe Exotic’s reality series before his footage was lost in a fire, has a lot of thoughts about Tiger King and his time at Exotic’s big cat park. He recalls a specific incident allegedly caught on camera that showcases Exotic’s abuse of animals. As Kirkham tells E! Daily Pop, a woman showe up at G.W. Zoo one day asking Exotic to take her old horse in hopes that he would care for it. However, Exotic reportedly killed the horse instead. Here’s what Kirkham claims happened:

Rick Kirkham adds that Joe Exotic would allegedly kill the older tigers and “feed them right to the other tigers.” As you can tell, the details of the reported story are rather gruesome and disturbing, but it does seem to fall in line with the allegations that Joe Exotic — whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage — has reportedly killed and abused animals during his time running the big cat zoo.

Rick Kirkham, who says that he’s back in therapy following Tiger King’s release and subsequent rise in popularity, further claims that the docuseries is incredibly precise in its depiction of Joe Exotic and the events that transpired. However, he believes that Tiger King “didn’t go near as far as it could’ve gone.” In his words:

Joe Exotic is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence after being charged with killing five tigers and committing other wildlife violations, in addition to being found guilty for a murder-for-hire plot involving Big Cat Rescue CEO Carole Baskin. That said, People reports that Exotic is not currently facing any criminal charges for allegedly killing the horse that Rick Kirkham references.

Tiger King is getting an additional episode called The Tiger King and I, which will feature interviews with those involved in the docuseries. It’ll be hosted by Community’s Joel McHale and will premiere on Netflix on April 12. In the meantime, viewers can still watch Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness on the streaming service.

For anyone who has logged into Netflix recently, or has done any Netflix-related Googling, it is abundantly clear just how popular the documentary series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is. It's a mainstay on the streaming service's Top 10 lists, and has sparked tons of celebrity spoofs and follow-up projects. But because it's a Netflix show, it hasn't been entirely clear just how popular Tiger King actually is. Now, however, the Nielsen numbers are in, and their roar is mighty.

Here's how impressive Tiger King's numbers were for Netflix. According to Nielsen's estimates (per Variety), the docuseries' first ten days on the streaming service reached around 34.3 million unique viewers. That's obviously a huge number for any TV show, especially one airing in 2020, and it's well on its way to becoming one of Netflix's biggest debuts of all time.

It appears that during those first ten days (March 20-29), Tiger King had a per-minute average of 19 million viewers, signifying that viewers weren't just turning on the first few minutes and then shutting it off. People have taken a deep dive into the wacky, ethically challenging and at-times unbelievable world of Joe Exotic, Carole Baskin and Doc Antle.

In comparison to other big Netflix hits of years past, Tiger King is ranking in the upper echelon. While Season 3 of the global phenomenon Stranger Things brought in an estimated 36.3 million viewers during its first ten days of release, Tiger King is thought to have cleanly topped the numbers brought in by Stranger Things' second season, which drew 31.2 million pairs of eyes during the same time window.

Things were just as comparable when viewed from a by-the-minute average. Stranger Things Season 2 brought in a per-minute average of around 17.5 million people, while Tiger King couldn't quite reach the sci-fi thriller's third season, which had an average of 20.5 million in comparison.

What's very important to note for Tiger King's success is how quickly its initially modest audience grew in size as the word-of-mouth opinions spread like a wildfire. Its first day earned around 741,000 unique viewers, with a by-the-minute audience (280,000) that was for that day lower than other Netflix premieres such as Altered Carbon Season 1. However, that number quickly rose up by the third day of release, where it was over a million per-minute viewers, and that total had jumped to over 4 million per-minute viewers on the ninth day.

Viewers probably had a clue about how well Tiger King was doing, considering the show has consistently ranked as the #1 most popular program across both movies and TV shows. The viewing data being measured to secure the Top 10 rankings are slightly different than the standard viewership measurements, but it's clearly deserving of the top spot.

Tiger King's popularity was quite evident on social media, also, as it was the most-tweeted about TV show during that ten-day time period. There were somewhere around 1.8 million fully organic tweets about the show. With many obsessed with musical ventures such as this:

Beyond all the spot-on celebrity impersonations, many viewers have spent their post-viewing time dreaming about who should be cast in a movie or TV show adaptation of Tiger King. There actually already is a TV show in the works with SNL vet Kate McKinnon set to executive produce and play Carole Baskin.

With another episode reportedly in the works, Tiger King Season 1 is available to stream in full right now on Netflix. Stay tuned for more developments about the show, and about Joe Exotic's health in prison, as well as his mega-lawsuit.

Joe Exotic has become a household name following the release of Netflix’s Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness. The former zoo owner, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is still getting a word in while behind bars. Recently, the folks at Netflix interviewed Exotic from prison where he promised that he’s “crazy” as ever.

Tiger King tells the story of Joe Exotic, big cat treatment, and his rivalry with Carole Baskin, the Big Cat Rescue owner whom Exotic has accused of allegedly murdering her husband. Currently, Exotic is serving his 22-year prison sentence after being charged with two counts of murder-for-hire, violating the Endangered Species Act, and falsifying wildlife records. Speaking with Netflix ahead of allegedly being placed in quarantine for contracting coronavirus, Exotic assured them that some things won’t change post-prison. In his words:

It sure sounds like Joe Exotic will be up to more of the same if he ever gets out of jail, which is something he seems quite confident will happen. Last month, Exotic filed a $94 million lawsuit from prison, suing the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Federal Wildlife Reserve for damages and the loss of his property. In addition to the government agencies, Exotic is also suing former business owner Jeff Lowe for allegedly orchestrating an “entrapment scheme” that reportedly led to Exotic’s arrest.

Joe Exotic may “never change,” but that doesn’t mean that he won’t be looking at life a bit differently if he ever walks free. His current situation — and the fact that his husband, Dillon Passage, is “sleeping in a car” — might give him a new outlook moving forward. For one, Exotic assures that he’ll be leaving behind his rivalry with Carole Baskin and closing that chapter of his life. His primary focus will be on getting “exonerated from all these charges” and getting out of prison. You can watch the full interview below.

While Joe Exotic remains in prison, Jeff Lowe recently revealed that there would be another episode of Tiger King. The news of a new episode hasn’t been confirmed yet and it’s unclear whether this is additional footage from the docu-series or if it’s something that was recorded more recently. However, according to Lowe, it will be available to stream on Netflix later this month. Whatever it turns out to be, I’m sure it’ll be wild.

All seven episodes of Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness are available to stream on Netflix. For more on what to watch, be sure to check out our schedule of Netflix shows and stay updated with our list of TV delays and shutdowns.

Like the rest of the world, we here at CinemaBlend are obsessed with Tiger King. In addition to the dozens of articles we’ve written, we’ve also wasted a lot of work hours yelling at each other on Slack about characters, theories, observations and even which memes we like the best. This weekend, we finally decided to turn these daily arguments into content and decided to jump on a group video to hash out who Tiger King’s biggest villain is. Not surprisingly, we did not agree. At all. You can check it out below...

The above video is running over at our YouTube page. In addition to yours truly, the video also features CinemaBlend Managing Director Sean O’Connell, Video Team Manager Hannah Saulic and Senior Video Producer Jeff McCobb, and we all come from this with pretty different perspectives. 

It’s pretty high praise that all of us could watch Tiger King and end up with a different take on who the primary villain of the show is. Some of that is due to how absolutely, positively wild these people are, but some of it is also due to how well the docuseries is edited. It never comes out and tells viewers how to think. It also does a really good job of presenting complicated and nuanced perspectives of all these people. Perhaps even more importantly, it doesn’t blurt out all the positive things or all the negative things at once.

In 7 episodes (or maybe soon to be 8), Tiger King does a great job of spacing out all its reveals and using the right interview footage at the right moment. The show wouldn’t work if it was four episodes of negative followed by 3 episodes of positive. Instead, we slowly learn more and more about each of these people, some of which makes us like them more and some of which make us like them less.

Regardless, we want to hear from you. Who do you think Tiger King’s biggest villain is? Is it main character Joe Exotic, who is, at various points, accused of animal abuse, trying to hire a hitman to murder someone, mistreating his staff, among other things? Or what about Carole Baskin, who has unrelenting tattle-tale energy, uses an army of volunteers and may have fed her ex-husband to tigers? Or how about Doc Antle who has an army of wives/ partners, may be running a cult and is accused of sending adult tigers to gas chambers? Or how about Jeff Lowe, who takes the zoo from Joe and sets the plot to take Joe Exotic down in motion?

There are so many options. Vote in the poll below to let us know your take or hit up the comment section…

This poll is no longer available.

I’ve spent the past week going through Tiger King withdrawal. I’ve talked to friends and family members about their takes. I’ve hit up YouTube to check out how other people feel. I've read as many articles as I could. I’ve even watched Joe Exotic music videos. Basically, I’ve done anything I could to extend the high, but if a new rumor is to be believed, there may be more original content coming in the form of a bonus episode.

None of this has been confirmed at this point, but there’s definitely a lot of smoke here. Basically, Jeff Lowe and his wife Lauren have been recording custom messages to fans on Cameo for $150 a pop. No judgement there. Anyway, one of the videos was for Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner, and in it, Jeff and Lauren said another episode of the show is coming. You can check out the short clip below…

So, ultimately, the question here is can we trust Jeff Lowe? I do. Variety reached out to Netflix, and the service decided not to comment on the record. My guess is they would probably have denied it were this not true, but we ultimately won’t know until we get some official details. Until then, all we can do is speculate, and I have some thoughts.

First, I believe the basic premise here is true. Jeff says in the video (whenever it was recorded, probably last week) that they were filming the following day. Given the immense popularity of Tiger King, it makes all the sense in the world that Netflix would want to capitalize and keep subscribers happy right now while they're watching more than ever. There is also a history of Netflix doing follow-ups in the past (see Love Is Blind).

What I am questioning, however, is that this will be 1) a traditional episode and 2) ready to be dropped on Netflix this week. I get time is of the essence and Tiger King’s popularity probably already peaked. Certainly anything that’s produced should come out sooner rather than later, but turning around an episode of TV given travel restrictions in less than a week when the original took 5 years to make is a scary proposition.

In addition, I don’t think there’s any way this could be a traditional episode. Carole and Howard Baskin were reportedly so displeased with the show they released a video talking about how they were lied to by the directors, and others including Doc Antle have been critical of certain aspects. Others including Joe Exotic and Jeff Lowe seem to be enjoying the fame and are assumedly more than willing to talk, but I’m just not sure everyone will be willing to sit back down. Plus, as far as I know, there hasn't been any huge WTF moments in the time since. So, my guess is this will be more of a check in on how some of the people are doing since they achieved this newfound fame.

Ultimately, though, if this show happens, we’re all going to watch it as soon as it comes out. There’s nothing else to do, and Tiger King is too magical not to get back in the cage for another ride.

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness has really struck a cord with viewers. The true crime documentary series launched its way to the top of Netflix’s queue and shows no signs of slowing down, especially not with such a fascinating subject like Joe Exotic — real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage — continuing to make headlines even while in prison. However, Tiger King ended with quite a few unresolved issues. Crucially, what happened to all the tigers and Jeff Lowe’s zoo after the documentary’s events?

Jeff Lowe showed up in the latter half of Netflix’s Tiger King. Before long, he became Joe Exotic’s business partner, signing Exotic’s Oklahoma park, G.W. Zoo, to his name. Eventually, Lowe wanted to shut down Exotic’s original zoo in Wynnewood and move all the tigers and big cats to a new location in Thackerville.

In an interview with the LA Times, Tiger King co-director Eric Goode was asked about the status of Lowe’s park. Did Lowe manage to do what he intended? Here’s what Goode had to say:

For some background, retired basketball player Shaquille O’Neal appeared very briefly in the Tiger King documentary. His cameo was pulled from old footage that listed him as having visited Joe Exotic’s G.W. Zoo. Later in the documentary, there is discussion surrounding whether O’Neal might be interested in investing in Jeff Lowe’s zoo. However, nothing ever came of it during the filming of the docu-series, and it sounds like Eric Goode isn’t convinced that O’Neal’s people would “allow him to invest” any time soon.

As for what happened to the big cats left behind at G.W. Zoo following Joe Exotic’s arrest on charges of murder-for hire, Retro 102.5 reports that The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado stepped in to save the big cats from exploitation. With an assist from PETA, the sanctuary staff was able to rescue 39 tigers and 3 bears from Exotic’s old park, with 19 of the tigers ultimately transferred to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in November of 2017.

Jeff Lowe is also being sued by Joe Exotic, who filed a $94 million lawsuit from prison. Exotic is accusing Lowe for allegedly lying, planting evidence, and being a part of an “entrapment scheme,” which reportedly led to Exotic’s arrest.

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is now available to stream on Netflix.

Tiger King is the Netflix docu-series that seemingly has everybody talking nowadays, and Late Show host Stephen Colbert jumped on the hype train while recording an episode from home. Colbert managed to land Joe Exotic himself for an exclusive interview! That is, viewers not familiar with Thomas Lennon may have thought Colbert landed the Tiger King star live from prison at first, since the Reno 911 star delivered a surprisingly spot-on impression. Take a look at Lennon going full Exotic for The Late Show:

Kudos to Thomas Lennon, because even though I knew Stephen Colbert hadn't gotten the real Joe Exotic on a video call from prison, I believed it for a moment. Lennon nailed the impression, and didn't even break into his own regular speaking voice until the very end, when he was called upon to sing his new song song as Joe Exotic, which was of course called "A Liger Ate My Shoes."

Even Late Show viewers who haven't had the chance (or inclination) to check out Tiger King on Netflix just yet likely could enjoy Thomas Lennon's impression for its sheer ridiculousness. Those who have already watched some or all of Tiger King had more to appreciate, especially with Lennon's line about to "ask Carole Baskin" if anybody wants to know about people being eaten. That line was naturally in reference to all the people (ranging from a Florida sheriff to O.J. Simpson) speculating that Carole Baskin of the Tiger King documentary fed her first husband to tigers.

Stephen Colbert seemed to be enjoying Thomas Lennon as Joe Exotic, although he didn't crack up. Still, he was smiling an awful lot for a late night host who has to worry about producing episodes from home and recently came off a Daniel Radcliffe interview that, though hilarious, was plagued with technical difficulties. If Lennon could make him want to laugh despite everything, then good for Lennon!

Personally, my favorite part of the video wasn't the line about Carole Baskin, the look on Stephen Colbert's face, or even the little bit of "A Liger Ate My Shoes" before the video ended, but rather this line from Thomas Lennon as Joe Exotic after Colbert asked if he felt he was accurately portrayed by the Tiger King filmmakers:

If there's a world where "pistol-packed, double husband-having, mullet man" isn't funny, I for one do not want to live there! Honestly, the best part about that particular line to me is that it's not actually all that outlandish. Joe Exotic in Tiger King did indeed pack a pistol, had two husbands, and happily paraded around in a mullet.

If you haven't caught Tiger King just yet and have nothing better to do with TV shows beginning to enter early hiatuses, you can find all seven episodes streaming on Netflix now, among many other options from our 2020 Netflix premiere schedule. As for Stephen Colbert, he will presumably continue to produce his "Stephen At Home" episodes from home while Late Show production continues to be shut down. For his part, Thomas Lennon reprises his role as Jim Dangle for the Quibi revival of Reno 911.

After the release of Netflix’s Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, tons of viewers have become interested in former zookeeper and big cat owner Joe Exotic. Exotic — real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage — is currently serving 22 years in prison after being convicted of a murder-for-hire plot, falsifying wildlife records, and violating the Endangered Species Act. Unfortunately, not even Exotic can escape the coronavirus pandemic, and he is reportedly under quarantine while in prison.

Joe Exotic’s fourth husband, Dillon Passage, has been keeping close tabs on him while in prison. That is, until Exotic had to go into reported quarantine due to the novel coronavirus. Speaking with Andy Cohen on the SiriusXM show Radio Andy, Passage revealed what was going on regarding Exotic’s COVID-19 quarantine. Here’s what he had to say:

Joe Exotic is currently serving his sentence in Oklahoma’s Grady County Jail. He was found guilty last year of hiring a hitman to kill Big Cat Rescue owner Carole Baskin, whom Exotic alleges killed her late husband and subsequently fed him to tigers. Andy Cohen pressed on about the alleged coronavirus isolation, asking Dillon Passage whether Exotic was quarantined separately from everyone else. In his words:

Prior to allegedly getting sick, Joe Exotic has been keeping busy while in prison. From behind bars, the former zookeeper has filed a $94 million lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Federal Wildlife Service for allegedly putting him out of business. Per the lawsuit, Exotic is also accusing former business partner Jeff Lowe for allegedly lying and falsifying evidence.

While Joe Exotic’s ex-husband John Finlay hasn’t spoken to him since they split up, Dillon Passage remains stalwart and is intent on sticking by Exotic’s side while he serves time in prison. Here's what he told Andy Cohen:

Joe Exoctic definitely isn’t the first in the national spotlight to be quarantined during this pandemic. Andy Cohen himself was also in self-isolation after testing positive for coronavirus. That put the future of his series, Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on pause, though it sounds like he is doing better now. He's out of quarantine and adorably got to reunite with his son.

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is currently available to stream on Netflix. COVID-19 has had an immense impact on numerous TV productions, so be sure to check out our updated list to see which series are delayed or are getting shortened seasons.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for Netflix's original series Tiger King. Read at your own risk!

Tiger King is continuing to dominate mainstream pop culture, and the longer it stays in the spotlight, the more the stars of the documentary are speaking out. Doc Antle, Carole Baskin, and even Shaquille O' Neal have had things to say about the Netflix original, and now Joe Exotic's ex-husband, John Finlay, has gotten in on the action. Finlay is speaking out to talk about his life post-Joe Exotic, and to reveal what life at Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park was actually like.

Tiger King showed the day to day of Joe Exotic's operation which, while there was plenty of chaos, seemed to run relatively well at times. In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, John Finlay said that life while working at the animal park was a bit different than what was shown on screen, and certainly less predictable.

John Finlay added that, believe it or not, the tiger park was "a lot crazier" than what was depicted on camera. Keep in mind that Tiger King showed a scene in which an employee's arm was ripped off by a tiger, so one can only imagine what events Finlay witnessed that could possibly be crazier.

As far as what it was like to work day-to-day with Joe Exotic as a boss, John Finlay seemed to indicate he was the most unpredictable part. Finlay spoke of Exotic's erratic nature, and how he ultimately sacrificed the well-being of the animals to deal with his own personal obsessions.

John Finlay said that while he missed dealing with exotic animals, he ultimately has no regrets with how his life turned out. Finlay has not spoken to Joe Exotic since their split, and added that he has no interest in ever speaking to him again.

Tiger King is now available to stream on Netflix. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for more on what's worth checking out on the streamer, and for the latest news happening in television and movies in 2020 and beyond.

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For folks stuck at home looking for a new show to binge, Netflix's Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness is a strange slice of real-life drama that nevertheless proves the right amount of oddball escapism and utterly engrossing "stranger than fiction" television. The seven-part, binge-friendly documentary streaming series centered primarily around Joe Exotic, a larger-than-life zoo operator, as well as other outlandish wild animal-owning personalities, was an addictive mix of true-crime, odd characters, and a bunch of wild animals.

Suffice to say, it became a huge hit for Netflix. The true story has no shortage of bizarre twists and turns; they could have made seven more episodes and possibly not uncovered everything that's fascinating and/or very perplexing about this cast of characters. Here are just six of Tiger King's most surprising takeaways. Also, naturally, expect many spoilers.

Doc Antle Has Multiple Wives And Makes Them Work Nearly 24/7

In addition to Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, the central figures in Tiger King, there's also Doc Antle, another wildlife personality. He hosts his own wild animal exhibit, and his life carries a few surprising details. For instance, he has many partners, all of whom work under his employee. He also controls their lifestyles, including their nearly 24/7 work schedule.

People Strongly Believe Carole Baskin Murdered Her Second Husband

In the third episode, titled "The Secret," we learn more about Carole Baskin, the antagonistic figure that serves as the bane of Joe Exotic's existence. The animal rights activist and owner of Big Cat Rescue has a huge social media following and a healthy bank account, but there are several interview subjects, in addition to Joe, who don't necessarily trust her. While it was hinted at earlier in the documentary mini-series, it was revealed that there is a 20-year-plus rumor that she reportedly murdered her second husband, Don Lewis, and allegedly got away with it. This episode mostly steps away from Joe to explore these rumors and why some local personalities believe it's the cold-blooded truth, including Lewis' former wife and his adult daughters.

As the episode explores, Don Lewis and Carole Baskin were not on good terms when he randomly and inexplicably disappeared from the public eye. It was clear that they were having marital problems, and one person claims that Lewis had a restraining order made against Carole before he vanished. It was also suspicious that Lewis left his vehicle with the keys and other items inside near a private plane station. There are folks who believe that Carole pushed her husband off the plane. There's also Joe Exotic, who thinks (sincerely or not) that she chopped up his body and fed the body to their tigers.

Joe Exotic's Studio Burned To The Ground

Joe Exotic is such a boisterous, overzealous personality — even when the cameras aren't on him, which is rare — that it's a given that he fancied himself a future reality television superstar. He has what it takes to fit the mold in his own out-of-the-box way. In fact, there was a TV producer who recognized his odd charisma and tried to make him famous. For years, he filmed Joe's life in his zoo and helped with his social media promotions. He was hoping that it would lead to a big payday. Alas, that didn't happen. In a tragic turn-of-events, the studio which contained all the footage, as well as the camera equipment and some alligators, was burned up and it destroyed everything. The footage was gone; reality TV hopes were instantly dash.

Since Joe Exotic was attending a funeral out-of-town, there was reason to believe that it wasn't him. But there are some folks who don't believe that is the case. Either coincidentally or not, Exotic had a heated debated with the TV producer just about a week prior, where it became clear that Exotic had no ownership of the footage that was shot. It was clear after this heated exchange that the producer could take all the footage amounted thus far and leave Exotic in the dust, which is why some believe that Exotic might've committed arson, knowing that he wasn't going to profit off this venture. Naturally, Exotic doesn't entertain this notion. Instead, he blames the producer for setting the building aflame, believing he might've done it to hurt Joe.

One Of Joe's Husbands Accidentally Shot Himself In A Tragic Accident

As Tiger King chronicles —sometimes paralleling — both Joe Exotic and Doc Antle, one point of comparison comes from their respective love lives. Specifically, they're both seen with multiple younger partners, with Exotic in particular settling down to two (or more) men at a time. As shown in the docu-series, Exotic groomed John Finlay and Travis Maldonado and convinced these two men to get hitched with each other in a conjoined wedding ceremony. But after a few years of marriage, tragedy struck. During an incident where Maldonado acted inappropriately with a loaded weapon, the gun went off, accidentally shooting and killing Travis instantaneously. A couple months later, a heartbroken Joe Exotic dates, then marries, Dillon Passage.

Joe Exotic Ran For President, Then Governor Of Oklahoma

Certainly not one for self-awareness or ego checks, Joe Exotic decided to push his brand further in a major way by doing something outlandish, even by 2016 standards. Specifically, Exotic tried to push himself as an independent candidate for president — even though, it's safe to say, he had nothing in the way of political experience prior to this. He hired a campaign manager and he made a few over-the-top campaign videos, at least a few of which caught the attention of John Oliver. On HBO's Last Week Tonight, he made fun of the outspoken, gun-toting wannabe president rather mercilessly. But rather than be discouraged, Exotic say this television bit as free publicity, and the man used it to further his (admittedly delusional) political aspirations.

After hiring a political advisor, a gun employee at a local Wal-Mart, Joe Exotic decides to shrink his political ambitions down a bit. Rather than put himself on the ballot for leader of the free country, Exotic runs for governor of Oklahoma instead. Exotic prints his name and face on a variety of advertisements, including condoms, and the zoo operator throws himself in the state's libertarian primary (even though, as his political advisor admits, he doesn't know what a libertarian is). Once the votes come in for the primary, Exotic finds himself in third place in the political party's primary, though he managed to score 19 percent of the vote. Either due to (or thanks to) his personality, Exotic got nearly 20 percent — which, admittedly, isn't great by any stretch of the imagination. But, for a man who never went into politics before, that's not necessarily unimpressive either.

Joe Exotic Went To Jail For Scheming To Murder Carole Baskin, Among Other Charges

As Tiger King chronicles in great deal, Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin have publicly been at odds with each other for many years. While they both have active online lives, Exotic is often seen threatening Baskin's life or threatening harm, including shooting dolls and mannequins that serve as stand-ins for the fellow wildlife habitat personality. There have been several moments where Exotic has suggested murdering Baskin, particularly after a lawsuit from her estate put him in a million dollars of debt. Oftentimes, Exotic's employees don't know whether he was joking or if he was actually serious. That changed when there were plans on Exotic's part to hire a third-party assassin to travel down to Florida, where Carole lives, and kill her on her property.

Through a connection made with Jeff Lowe, Joe Exotic was reportedly set to pay the man $3,000 to go down to Florida and kill Carole Baskin during her annual bike run. The accounts rely a lot on he said, he said, but there was evidence of Exotic's attempt to have the woman killed, which is what got law enforcement involved. Exotic was being followed, and when Exotic eventually made his way down to Florida to do the job himself, he was arrested in a parking lot and put on trial. In addition to the murder-for-hire charges lobbied against him, there were also 17 federal charges of animal abuse. As of now, Exotic is currently serving a 22-year sentence in prison, but he's desperate to get out — even if it means bringing other people down with him.

What revelation in Tiger King surprised you the most? What do you think is the most shocking moment in the docu-series? Let us know down below!

In the last few weeks, people around the world have been feeling a lot of fear and tension due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, but what’s been helping a lot of people cope is the distraction that is Rebecca Chaiklin and Eric Goode’s Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness – the latest documentary series released on Netflix. Telling a story the spans multiple decades and features excessively eccentric individuals like Joe Exotic (a.k.a. Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage), Carole Baskin, and Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, it delights and freaks you out with an endless number of mind-bending twists, and only gets more outrageous just when you think it might run out of steam.

Tiger King packs a whole lot into 317 minutes (spread across seven episodes), but even still there are more crazy facts beyond the contents of the documentary… which is what we’re here to discuss. Researching around the web since the series dropped, we’ve found even more wild details surrounding the story and its colorful cast, so let’s dive in, shall we?

Joe Exotic Didn’t Write Or Sing All The Songs In The Music Videos

There is not a lot of positivity to cling to while watching Tiger King, as it’s essentially a documentary about bad people doing bad things to other bad people, but one element that gets genuine appreciation is Joe Exotic’s music – particularly the songs “I Saw A Tiger” and “Here, Kitty Kitty.” Even this part of the Netflix series has a dark side, though, because apparently there is a fair amount of contention regarding whether or not Exotic is actually performing. Author/podcaster Robert Moor says that a group called the Clinton Johnson Band is actually responsible for the popular tracks, with Exotic singing quietly over them, but speaking with the Los Angeles Times, co-director Rebecca Chaiklin said the doc’s fact checker told her that he apparently does sing some of the time. Either way, the music is definitely not 100% Joe Exotic.

Doc Antle’s Park Is Still Open – Even During Coronavirus Pandemic

One of the more shocking details that arrives at the very end of Tiger King (and only in text form) is that Bhagavan “Doc” Antle got a visit from the police at the end of last year. According to the documentary series, Myrtle Beach Safari was “raided” in December 2019 – though it’s not mentioned exactly why the raid happened. However, if this news makes you think that “Doc” Antle’s park is now out of commission, think again. According to Variety, not only has Myrtle Beach Safari remained open in the months since the raid, but it’s even active during the on-going pandemic. Health concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19 mean that people really should stay away (that goes for all public gatherings), but that doesn’t stop the situation from being a reality.

Joe Exotic Had Another Straight Husband Before John, Travis, And Dillon

After watching Tiger King, many have highlighted the strange fact that Joe Exotic, an openly gay man, managed to get two men who identify as straight to marry him, but evidently that’s only part of the story. It’s not mentioned in the documentary, but the eponymous animal hoarder actually had a fourth husband who also apparently identified as straight – one he was married to before John Finley and after his first husband, Brian Rhyne (who passed away in 1991). According to New York Magazine, Maldanado-Passage was also briefly married to a man named J.C. Hartpence. Little is known about Hartpence, but he is currently in prison for a murder he committed after he and the Tiger King were divorced.

Jeff Lowe Is Trying To Get Money From Shaquille O’Neal For His New Park

Toward the end of Tiger King, Jeff Lowe is shown trying to get plans together to start up a whole new park in Thackerville, Oklahoma, but the documentary concludes before the plot thread is resolved. This is probably partially due to the fact that the location still hasn’t opened… but one strange thing to know about the development is that the effort is evidently currently looking to get a bit of help from an NBA legend. Eric Goode recently told the Los Angeles Times that Lowe is reaching out to Hall of Fame center Shaquille O’Neal as a potential investor. The status of those conversations is unknown – though one has to wonder how they may be impacted by the release of the Netflix series.

Carole Baskin Had A Boyfriend After Her Husband’s Disappearance Who Filed A Restraining Order

One of the lingering mysteries that internet sleuths have latched on to in Tiger King is the strange case of Carole Baskin’s first husband, Don Lewis, who disappeared in August 1997 (two months after filing a restraining order against his wife). As shown in the documentary, Baskin eventually remarried, getting together with current husband Howard Baskin, but Robert Moor has revealed details of another relationship she had with a man named Jay Baykal. Similar to Lewis, Baykal also wound up filing a restraining order against Baskin, and in the report said that he was fearful for his life – highlighting two conversations that led him to believe that his girlfriend killed her former husband.

The Officer Investigating The Fire At Joe Exotic’s Zoo Had A Strange Connection To The Owner

In March 2015, a fire broke out at Joe Exotic’s zoo, burning down the on-site production studio and destroying hours and hours of footage that was being assembled to create a reality series with the documentary’s central subject as its lead. While definitely a bit shady, this isn’t all that shocking by itself… but what does take things up a notch in terms of crazy is a story shared by Robert Moor. While looking into the fire while doing research for his podcast, Moore reached out to the police officer in charge of the case, and the next day got an angry call from Joe Exotic. How did Exotic know about the call? According to the author/podcaster, the police officer was employed as the zoo owner’s limo driver.

Documentarian Eric Goode Has His Own Animal Obsession

“Animal people are nuts” is one of the first lines spoken by a talking head in Tiger King (and the documentary goes on to make a very strong case for that statement), so it may surprise you to learn that director Eric Goode is very much an “animal person” himself. Specifically, the filmmaker is classified as a herpetophile, which is to say a person obsessed with reptiles, and was actually profiled in the New Yorker back in 2012 for his work trying to preserve a rare tortoise called the Astrochelys yniphora. Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, he admits that he has a fascination with people who keep animals, which surely inspired his work on the Netflix documentary.

Carole Baskin Is Super Unhappy About How Tiger King Came Together

This fact couldn’t be featured in Tiger King simply because it’s a response to the completed work, but it should be noted that Carole Baskin is far from happy about how she is represented in the documentary, and feels that she was misled about the series’ content. Via posts on BigCatRescue.org, Baskin says that she was led to believe that she was participating in “the big cat version of Blackfish,” has refuted a selection of statements made, and has attacked those who accuse her of murdering her former husband, Don Lewis. Directors Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin refute those claims in the Los Angeles Times interview, saying that the documentary evolved as the story continued to unfold, and that Baskin “wasn’t coerced” into talking about her personal life and backstory on camera.

Joe Exotic Is Loving Tiger King’s Popularity

While Carole Baskin isn’t a fan of the Tiger King documentary, Joe Exotic most definitely is. The documentary doesn’t exactly paint the guy as a model citizen (it actually exposes many of his criminal activities beyond the ones that got him sent to prison), but the titular subject is apparently just appreciative of the attention. Per Eric Goode, he is “absolutely ecstatic” about the “idea of being famous,” and has taken on a new cause by being an advocate for criminal justice reform (“He is in a cage and of course he’s gonna say that he now recognizes what he did to these animals.”)

Could all of the dangling threads left by the end of Tiger King potentially result in a second season, a la Making A Murderer? We’ll have to wait and see, but for now stay tuned here on CinemaBlend as we continue to dive deeper into the madness that is this new documentary series.