Earlier this year, Netflix’s Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness introduced audiences to Joe Exotic and his G.W. Zoo, quickly making him a household name, with the new Animal Planet documentary Surviving Joe Exotic shifting focus from the man currently incarcerated for multiple cases of animal abuse and cruelty to the four-legged creatures who were the subject of that abuse, which just got the above sneak peek. The documentary doesn’t totally move away from Exotic himself, as it features one of the last interviews he did before being sentenced, but it’s clear that Animal Planet was much more interested in highlighting the positive change the animals experienced after leaving his facility. Surviving Joe Exotic premieres on Animal Planet on Saturday, July 25th at 10 p.m. ET.
Per press release, “In an all-new Animal Planet documentary special featuring one of Joe Exotic’s last formal interviews before his arrest, viewers will follow the emotional stories of animals that made it out of the zoo for a second chance at life, and hear from ex-employees, including Saff Saffery – who lost an arm to one of Joe’s tigers – rescue leaders, exotic animal experts, and others with firsthand knowledge of the animal trafficking and breeding that fueled Joe Exotic’s empire. Paired with never-before-seen footage of Joe filmed for Animal Planet’s Wolves and Warriors in 2018, audiences will witness the stories of animals who were caught in the crossfire of Joe Exotic’s big cat breeding business, and the heartwarming stories of those that found new homes after the G.W. Zoo.”
Videos by ComicBook.com
Netflix has a history of delivering audiences documentary series that quickly take the world by storm, with Tiger King‘s success also being credited to the timing of the coronavirus pandemic seeing subscribers around the world quarantining themselves in their homes to consume whatever new content they could find. Due in large part to the colorful characters in the series and unbelievable events, the internet was quick to spoof the series, with Surviving Tiger King taking a more dramatic approach to the horrifying events.
This new special isn’t the only new Joe Exotic content on the way, as there are a number of dramatic projects that will be inspired by the actual events being developed, in addition to the Tiger King filmmakers teasing that they were working on a sequel to the original series.
Tune in to Surviving Joe Exotic on Saturday, July 25th at 10 p.m. PT on Animal Planet.
Are you looking forward to the new special? Let us know in the comments below!
