‘Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story’ Trailer and Premiere Date Released

Tiger King recently dropped its Season 2 episodes on Netflix, but the docuseries is now branching out with a new project, The Doc Antle Story, and viewers can see the debut trailer now. Premiering Dec. 10, Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story will follow the story of Antle, a big cat enthusiast and private zoo owner who raised eyebrows in Season 1 of . Antle has been accused of running his facility like a cult, and the new three-episode series will explore the claims, and feature interviews from individuals who have first-hand experience with the controversial figure.

“A lifelong showman, Doc Antle has built his various careers on theatrics, attracting a slew of admirers along the way,” reads a synopsis of the limited docuseries. “But beneath the eccentric, animal-loving facade lies a predator far more dangerous than his beloved big cats and a man shadier than any of his Tiger King. Over three episodes, Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story unpacks the truth about Doc, as witnesses come forward to share their troubling stories of abuse and intimidation that set him at the top of the food chain.”

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Antle, whose real name is Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, was formally indicted on animal cruelty and trafficking charges in 2020. The charges came after a long investigation by Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring’s animal law unit. Herring’s office stated that Antle and Keith A. Wilson – the owner of Wilson’s Wild Animal Park in Frederick County, Virginia – trafficked lion cubs between Antle’s Myrtle Beach Safari Park and the state.

The charges against Antle were as follows: one felony count of wildlife trafficking, one felony count of conspiracy to wildlife traffic, four misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act, and nine misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. As for Wilson, he has been charged with one felony count of wildlife trafficking, one felony count of conspiracy to wildlife traffic, four misdemeanor counts of violating the Endangered Species Act, four misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act and nine misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. Two of Antle’s daughters were also indicted, with Tawny Antle facing one misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals and one misdemeanor count of violating the Endangered Species Act. Antle’s daughter Tilakam Watterson has been charged with two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals and two misdemeanor counts of violating the Endangered Species Act.

According to Herring’s office, the months-long investigation that resulted in these charges included a search of Antle’s South Carolina property that took place in Dec. 2019. This would have been roughly three to four months before Netflix‘s Tiger King documentary series premiered. Notably, Wilson has previous animal cruelty charges handed down in November 2019, which stem from circumstances surrounding his Wild Animal Park.