Carole Baskin sues Netflix to stop the release of Tiger King 2
Carole and Howard Baskin claim Netflix don't have the right to use leftover footage in new episodes.
- Best New Journalist 2019 Australian IT Journalism Awards
Carole Baskin and Joe Exotic have a running feud that explodes in the Netflix series Tiger King.
Trust Tiger King to make headlines, even before the release of its second season.
Carole and Howard Baskin on Monday filed a lawsuit in Tampa, Florida, against Netflix for continuing to use footage of the couple in Tiger King 2. According to the documents, obtained by Variety, the Baskins allege that production company Royal Goode Productions has breached contract, because the Baskins only signed release forms for season 1. They're seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the release of Tiger King 2 later this month.
Netflix didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a statement (via Comicbook.com), Howard Baskin said the couple's agreement with Tiger King producers Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin was to be involved only in the first documentary.
"Our agreement to participate with Goode and Chaiklin was expressly limited to using our film footage in a single documentary motion picture. Even giving them the benefit of the doubt that TK1 is a legitimate documentary motion picture, that was the extent of our agreement."
Howard Baskin said he and his wife were surprised to see they featured in the trailer for Tiger King 2.
"We made it very clear to Goode and Chaiklin that we had no desire or intent to be involved in TK2. When Netflix released its Official Tiger King 2 Trailer last week, we were shocked to see that we were going to be a central theme of the sequel and they were using the film footage again without our permission."
The statement continued, "While we cannot stop Netflix and Royal Goode Productions from producing low-brow, salacious and sensational programing, we do believe that we have the right to control footage filmed of us under false pretenses. We like to believe that most Americans will agree that we should be entitled to protect our reputations in this manner and hold entertainment giants to their word."
The first season of Tiger King was released in March 2020 during the pandemic. It swiftly became one of Netflix's most-watched shows.
Here's Netflix's official synopsis for Tiger King 2: "With Joe Exotic behind bars and Carole Baskin closing in on ownership of his disreputable zoo, the Emmy-nominated saga continues its twisted course with Tiger King 2 as newfound revelations emerge on the motivations, backstories and secrets of America's most notorious big cat owners. Old enemies and frenemies, including Jeff Lowe, Tim Stark, Allen Glover and James Garretson return for another season of murder, mayhem and madness. Thought you knew the whole story? Just you wait."
Tiger King 2 premieres on Netflix on Nov. 17.
