Carole Baskin Sues Netflix Over Footage Use In Tiger King 2

Carole Baskin is taking issue with her inclusion in season two of Tiger King and has sued Netflix over it. Baskin, who was a big focus of the show’s first season, filed a lawsuit over the upcoming season according to THR.

Baskin is seeking an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order against Netflix, which would prevent them from using any footage of the Baskins and their Big Cat Rescue sanctuary in the upcoming season or “any related promotion or advertising.”

Baskin alleges that the footage, some of which appeared in the just-released trailer, is a breach of releases that she signed in April of 2016 and April of 2018. Baskin and her husband Howard allege that their 2016 release was for one “documentary motion picture” and the 2018 just changed the potential title. As such, there was no agreement to use them in future projects such as a second season.

The two also allege that they did not give permission for additional filming at their Big Cat Rescue, and that they were not paid for their participation.

The lawsuit alleges that the series did not represent the couple as they were led to believe, and that it made Big Cat Rescue appear to be the “ethical and moral equivalent of Joe Exotic’s roadside zoo.”

The lawsuit notes, “Far from being a documentary motion picture that seeks to expose the illicit trade of big cat private ownership, breeding and cub petting, Tiger King 1 is a seven (7) episode series focused primarily upon portrayal of Joe Exotic as a sympathetic victim and Carole as the villain.”

The series famously looked at allegations from Exotic and others that Baskin murdered her first husband. Baskin has consistently denied the allegations.

The suit also states, “Joe Exotic was one of the big cat abusers targeted by the Baskins’ advocacy efforts. Prior litigation between the Big Cat Rescue and Joe Exotic resulting in a $1 million+ judgment against Joe Exotic and his roadside zoo. Fearing the loss of his livelihood, Joe Exotic solicited a hit man to murder Carole Baskin. Fortunately, the plot was uncovered. In 2019, Joe Exotic was convicted of both the murder-for-hire scheme and for killing some of his tigers.”

Baskin’s lawyer alleges that Royal Goode Productions, who produced the show and are also named in the suit, approached the Baskins after the first season “’to clear the air’ and, presumably, to entice them into being filmed for the sequel called Tiger King 2.” The Baskins allegedly refused and believed that the releases prevented the original footage from being used further.

Tiger King 2 is set to premiere on November 17th. Netflix has yet to comment.