A production member on Netflix's hit series Tiger King has revealed work is underway on a follow-up episode. Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem And Madness appeared on Netflix March 20, 2020, and streamed more than 34 million times in the first ten days alone. The true-crime documentary, directed by Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin, centers on Joe Exotic, owner and operator of the G.W. Zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma. The original seven-episode series followed Exotic, his feud with Big Cat conservationist Carole Baskin, and the employees of the zoo. It also garnered praise and positive reviews from critics. Part of its wild success comes from its premiere during the international COVID-19 pandemic.
Joe Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, owned his zoo for twenty years and attempted to run for public office twice. The eccentric documentary star is currently serving a 22-year sentence for attempted murder and animal abuse at Federal Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas. In addition to Carole Baskin, the series also features her current husband, Howard Baskin, Exotic’s ex-husband John Finlay, current husband Dillon Passage, and employees John Reinke, Kelci “Saff” Saffery, and Erik Cowie.
THR revealed plans from Goode Films, the production team behind the original, to advance the Tiger King story. The website spoke with Dr. James Liu, who worked on Tiger King’s production team and indicated another episode was on the way. The new installment will focus on entertainers Siegfried and Roy. The latter was infamously attacked by a tiger during a show in 2003.
Liu claimed the show would be a "higher-minded corrective to both the original seven-episode series as well as comedian Joel McHale’s aftershow special, the latter of which was not produced by the filmmakers." However, a representative for Goode Films disagreed with this assessment, saying it was "untrue that the direction is going in a more conservational route.” There are several adaptations of Tiger King featuring everyone from Nicolas Cage to Rob Lowe on the way. However, this stands out as it will be new material from the original production team.
Though critics and audiences widely praised the series, certain aspects proved controversial, such as the glorification of Exotic’s misdeeds. Another complaint toward Tiger King comes from the inclusion of footage from the Travis Maldonado’s accidental suicide. A new installment could potentially help audiences forget about those problems with the original episodes. It could also help Goode Films rectify what they felt was a tabloid consideration toward the project, though their response to Liu's claim shows that may not be the case. Either way, fans should be excited to hear about the sequel to Tiger King.
Source: THR