The Nicolas Cage-Tiger King series is no longer happening at Amazon
By Mads Lennon
The Nicolas Cage Tiger King series is no longer happening at Amazon. Cage spoke exclusively to Variety about the project, which has been shelved.
The news that the actor would play convicted felon Joe Exotic was announced last year at the height of the Tiger King hype. Early last year, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning, Netflix released the docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. It quickly became a huge hit and viral sensation for the streaming service.
In the aftermath, several Tiger King television series were announced, including a Ryan Murphy project starring Rob Lowe, a limited series at Peacock, and an eight-episode series at Amazon with Cage in the titular role.
While some of these projects have moved ahead, at least one will not. Peacock’s version is still in play, with John Cameron Mitchell and Kate McKinnon set to star. But even though Amazon has reportedly shelved the Cage-starring series, reports say that Imagine and CBS Studios might be trying to shop the series to other outlets.
Why is the Nicolas Cage Tiger King series no longer happening?
While speaking with the outlet, Cage opted to set the record straight and let people know what had happened with the project and why it might have fizzled out. In short, it took too long to come together and Tiger King isn’t nearly as popular as it was last year.
“We should clear the record, I read two excellent scripts, which I did think were excellent, but I think Amazon ultimately felt that it was material that had become past tense because it took so long for it come together. They felt at one point that it was lightning in a bottle, but that point has since faded into the distance and it’s no longer relevant,” said the actor.
As noted by Variety, the eccentricity of Joe Exotic would have made it a seemingly perfect role for Cage, who has made his career off of taking big swings, some more successful than others. But he does have some other interesting projects lined up, such as playing himself in Tom Gormican’s The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. You can also currently catch him starring in Pig, which has been well-received by critics and fans alike.
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