McKinnon is also executive producing the project.
Kate McKinnon's Carole Baskin project has received a straight-to-series order at NBC. The network announced the news on Tuesday, sharing that the limited series -- in which McKinnon will star as Baskin -- will roll out across NBCU’s scripted entertainment platforms, NBC, Peacock and USA.
The series is adapted from the Wondery podcast Joe Exotic. McKinnon will executive produce along with Wondery’s Hernan Lopez, Marshall Lewy and Aaron Hart. Etan Frankel (Sorry for Your Loss, Shameless) will write.
Joe Exotic (working title) is based on true events following big cat enthusiast Baskin, who sets out to shut down Joe "Exotic" Schreibvogel's venture after learning he is breeding and using his big cats for profit. A quickly escalating rivalry ensues. The role of Joe Exotic has yet to be cast.
McKinnon was announced to star as Baskin in the limited series in March, following the release of Netflix's docuseries, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness. Baskin reacted to the news in a statement to ET at the time.
"Big Cat Rescue implores Kate McKinnon to not use real big cats and cubs in the making of her series," the statement read. "The Wondery podcast, which is the basis for her series, explores the rampant breeding, abuse and exploitation of big cats by breeder and exhibitor Joe Exotic. It would be cruel to use real big cats in a television series about cruelty to big cats."
"We urge McKinnon to utilize computer-generated imagery (CGI) of cats in the show rather than forcing real big cats to suffer just to entertain the audience," the statement continued. "We hope McKinnon has a passion for animals and that her series will focus on the horrible lives captive big cats lead when exploited by breeders like Joe Exotic. We further hope she urges the public to support the Big Cat Public Safety Act that would end the cub petting abuse in America."
See more on Baskin in the video below.
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