(Los Angeles) Eccentric Joe Exotic replaced his tigers behind bars, but that didn’t stop Netflix from directing season 2 of the documentary Tiger king, which captivated millions of cloistered viewers due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year.
Even before its release on Wednesday, the phenomenon series has already provoked a legal pass of arms, which will undoubtedly only contribute a little more to its success.
The series, named In the kingdom of wild animals in French, followed the shenanigans and setbacks of “Joe Exotic”, an openly gay and colorful zoo owner reigning over a menagerie of felines, wacky employees and whimsical lovers.
His real name Joe Maldonado-Passage, the “King of the tigers” had been sentenced to 22 years in prison for attempted murder on Carole Baskin, animal rights activist who had become his pet peeve.
Even though the judgment was partially overturned this summer, Joe Exotic remains prosecuted and is still currently in detention. It is therefore by telephone that Tiger king 2 hear from him.
“There is an innocent man in prison,” proclaims the fallen zoo owner with the famous mullet cut in the trailer. “Everyone in the zoo is out making money and I foot the bill for each of them,” he complains.
The first season, followed by 64 million homes worldwide within four weeks of its release, focused on the intense rivalry between Joe Exotic and Mme Baskin. The latter had accused for years the eccentric businessman of mistreating his animals and had vowed to bankrupt his zoo.
Tiger king 2 has chosen to focus on crazy rumors that Carole Baskin had her husband eaten by the tigers and tries to elucidate the disappearance of this husband, in which Mr.me Baskin denies any involvement.
She refused to participate in season 2, telling producers to “forget about her” and even filed a lawsuit against Netflix, calling season 1 “harsh and unfair”. She also denounced the “pernicious” allusions to the disappearance of her husband.
The lawsuit claims she only agreed to appear in the first season, but a Florida court dismissed a first request for interim relief from Mr.me Baskin and Netflix would have counterattacked to defend her right to use in season 2 the images shot with her.
Other whimsical characters are also making a comeback in season 2, such as Jeffrey and Lauren Lowe, presented as a swinging couple, who took over the zoo from Joe Exotic after his arrest.
But last May, US authorities seized 68 wild animals housed in the zoo who, according to court documents, were not fed, cared for or adequately housed.
In the trailer, Jeffrey Lowe, a former partner of Joe Exotic, is nevertheless delighted that “ Tiger king changed our lives overnight. We are richer than God now ”.