It’s 6 am and I can’t tell whether I’m awake or experiencing an isolation-induced fever dream. It has been confirmed that Nicolas Cage will play Tiger King star Joe Exotic in a new eight-part scripted television series.
The series, currently titled Joe Exotic, is set to be executed by Dan Lagana, co-creator and showrunner of the Netflix mockumentary American Vandal. The project has been in development since June 2019 and is based off the Texas Monthly article Joe Exotic: A Dark Journey Into the World of a Man Gone Wild, by Leif Reigstad.
The project marks Nicolas Cage’s television debut. We can’t think of more perfect casting for the role of the zany zookeeper turned convicted felon. We’re envisioning a melting pot of energies from Cage’s roles in Wild at Heart and Moonstruck, just pure, unrelenting madness. Not only does Nicolas Cage exude similar anarchy to Joe Exotic, he also owns multiple exotic animals — including two king cobras and an octopus.
This is the second project exploring the wacky realm of Tiger King set for release. A scripted series centred on Joe Exotic’s nemesis and founder of Big Cat Rescue, Carole Baskin, is in the works. Set to star SNL’s Kate McKinnon.
Watch: Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness – Official Trailer
In related news, big cat enthusiast Carole Baskin was recently swindled into an interview with two crafty YouTube pranksters, Josh Pieters and Archie Manners after posed as talent bookers for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The duo set up a meeting between Baskin and who she believed to be host Jimmy Fallon.
Using a soundboard composed of bites of Fallon’s voice from previous Tonight Show episodes – particularly questions regarding cats – the pair managed to trick Baskin into thinking she was chatting with the popular host. It’s pure insanity.
“You’ll only be able to hear, but [Jimmy Fallon will] obviously be able to see you,” Manners explained to Baskin ahead of the “interview” rolling.
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