Nicolas Cage to play Tiger King’s Joe Exotic in new scripted series

Nicolas Cage will be playing the role of Joe Exotic in an upcoming scripted series based on the imprisoned zoo-owner known as Tiger King

The Oscar winner will take the lead role in a project from American Vandal showrunner Dan Lagana along with Paul Young. It will be based on a Texas Monthly article titled Joe Exotic: A Dark Journey Into the World of a Man Gone Wild, by Leif Reigstad,  according to Variety.

The eight-episode series will be taken to market in the coming days. The drama would be based on Exotic following on from an announcement last year.

The Netflix doc-series 'Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness' has found phenomenal success since its release in March, attracting more than 64 million viewers.

According to reports, the story centers around Joe Shreibvogel, an eccentric, exotic zookeeper in Oklahoma who fights to keep his park even at the risk of losing his sanity. 

The series will live in the lion’s den with Joe, explore how he became Joe Exotic, and how he lost himself to a character of his own creation.

The role marks the first regular television role of Cage’s career. The actor  has long been lauded for his film work, having won the Academy Award for best actor for 'Leaving Las Vegas' and getting a nomination in the same category for 'Adaptation.'

Cage is known for his starring roles in films like 'Moonstruck', 'Raising Arizona', 'Face/Off', and the 'National Treasure' and 'Ghost Rider' movies.