LOS ANGELES

Hollywood star Nicolas Cage is set to essay the role of Joe Exotic, the subject of Netflix's hit documentary-seriesTiger King, in a new scripted show.

The eight-episode series is based on Leif Reigstad's June 2019 Texas Monthly article, Joe Exotic: A Dark Journey Into the World of a Man Gone Wild, reported Variety.

CBS Television, which is producing the series along with Imagine Television, bought the rights to the article in 2019.

Dan Lagana, best known for his work on mockumentary series American Vandal, is attached as writer, showrunner and executive producer on the project.

The story focuses on around Joe Schreibvogel, aka Joe Exotic, an eccentric, exotic zookeeper in Oklahoma who fights to keep his park even at the risk of losing his sanity.

The series will live in the lion's den with Joe, explore how he became Joe Exotic and how he lost himself to a character of his own creation, the synopsis read.

The project marks the first regular television role of Cage's career. The actor will also serve as executive producer.