NBCU combines Peacock, USA & NBC firepower for ‘Tiger King’ drama

Tiger King

NBCUniversal (NBCU) is combining the commissioning power of its streaming platform Peacock, cablenet USA and broadcast network NBC for a new drama based on the Netflix docuseries Tiger King.

Joe Exotic (working title) is being produced by NBCU’s UCP and has been ordered straight-to-series by the media giant’s streamer and its networks.

The show is based on the Wondery podcast Over My Dead Body and tracks the life of Joseph ‘Joe Exotic’ Maldonado-Passage and rival Carol Baskin, who both rose to stardom on unscripted hit Tiger King.

The drama, which was revealed to be in development in November, is being written by Etan Frankel while Kate McKinnon will star as Baskin. Details of who will play Exotic have not been revealed.

It is not the first drama based on the hit Netflix show to emerge, with US actor Nicolas Cage set to play Exotic in a new eight-parter from US-based Imagine Television Studios and CBS Television Studios.

US cablenet ID has also moved into the big cat game with an unscripted show delving further into the story revealed by Tiger King. Investigating The Strange World Of Joe Exotic revolves around tiger breeder Exotic and his role in an alleged murder-for-hire plot to kill rival Baskin, who ran animal sanctuary Big Cat Rescue.

The joint commission from NBCU’s networks and its recently launched streamer comes as the media giant focuses more attention on its DTC business.

NBCU’s CEO Jeff Shell told investors last month that restructuring was in the works, following the US company’s decision to combine its TV and streaming divisions under Mark Lazarus. Around 3,000 positions are set to be affected.