More 'Tiger King' news: Nicolas Cage reportedly tapped to play Joe Exotic in TV series
Nicolas Cage will make his television debut as the Tiger King.
On Monday, Variety reported Cage's casting as Joe Exotic — the subject of Netflix's popular docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness — for a scripted series under American Vandal showrunner Dan Lagana. The part will mark Cage's first small screen role outside of his participation in a 1981 pilot and two stints hosting for Saturday Night Live.
Representation for Cage and Lagana did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Based on a June 2019 Texas Monthly article, titled "Joe Exotic: A Dark Journey Into the World of a Man Gone Wild," the eight-part series will follow the downfall of Exotic (also known as Joseph Schreibvogel) as he grapples with a multi-million dollar copyright infringement lawsuit, the death of his husband, and allegations of a murder for hire plot.
Exotic is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence.
The Texas Monthly article was first optioned by Lagana and Paul Young last year as part of Lagana's overall deal with CBS Television Studios. In addition to acting as showrunner, Lagana will executive produce alongside Young, Imagine Television Studios' Brian Grazer and Samie Kim Falvey, and Texas Monthly's Scott Brown and Megan Creydt.
Per Variety, Cage will also executive produce the series via Saturn Films.
This is the second scripted take on Joe Exotic's life announced in recent months. Last November, Saturday Night Live actress Kate McKinnon was confirmed to portray Exotic's nemesis Carole Baskin for a limited series adaptation of the second season of Wondery's podcast Over My Dead Body. An Exotic for that series has yet to be cast.
