Carole Baskin sues Netflix for using footage of her in ‘Tiger King 2’
Baskin is suing the streamer for breach of contract, arguing they only signed release forms for the first documentary
Carole Baskin is suing Netflix for using footage of her in ‘Tiger King 2’, claiming the streaming service did not have permission to use it for the second series.
Baskin, who was Joe Exotic’s arch enemy in the wildly popular Netflix series, has accused the streamer and Royal Goode Productions of breach of contract.
According to Variety, Baskin and her husband Howard filed the suit in Tampa, Florida on Monday. In the documents seen by the publication, Baskin alleges that Royal Goode Productions has breached contract by using footage of the couple in ‘Tiger King 2’, arguing they only signed appearance release forms for the first documentary.
“Understanding that the Appearance Releases limited Royal Goode Productions’ use of the footage of the Baskins and Big Cat Rescue to the single, initial documentary motion picture, the Baskins believed that any sequel – though odious – would not include any of their footage,” the document read. It also stated that the Baskins were surprised to see that footage of them was used in the ‘Tiger King 2’ trailer.
“By utilizing the film footage of the Baskins and Big Cat Rescue secured by Royal Goode Productions under the Appearance Releases in ‘sizzle reels’ and promotional trailers for the sequel entitled ‘Tiger King 2,’ the Defendants are in breach of the terms of the Appearance Releases.”
The lawsuit brings uncertainty around ‘Tiger King 2’, which is due to be released on November 17.
According to the documents, the Baskins are demanding the removal of any and all footage of them from ‘Tiger King 2’.
The lawsuit also included claims that Baskin’s Big Cat Rescue centre was misrepresented. She alleges that the project was described to her as “an exposé of the big cat breeding and cub petting trade akin to the documentary feature film entitled ‘Blackfish,’” instead of focusing on Joe Exotic and his feud with Baskin.
The lawsuit said: “‘Tiger King 1’ was particularly harsh and unfair in its depiction of the Baskins and Big Cat Rescue. The ‘Tiger King 1’ series wrongly attempted to suggest that Big Cat Rescue abused its animals by keeping them in very small cages while not making clear that the animals actually reside in expansive enclosures.”
In 2018, Joe Exotic, real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was accused of hiring hitmen to murder Baskin.
He was found guilty of two counts of attempted murder along with of multiple federal charges of animal abuse and was sentenced to a 22 years in prison.
Netflix declined to comment on the ongoing lawsuit.