Snakes, smugglers, and a $1 billion black market — HBO‘s next true-crime obsession has arrived. Monsters of God turns the camera on the outlaw dealers, obsessive collectors, and federal agents caught up in a decades-long war over the illegal reptile trade.
From the creators of Tiger King and Chimp Crazy, Eric Goode directs the series, which had its world premiere at the 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival, where it won the TV Premiere Audience Award.
Monsters of God slithers onto HBO and HBO Max Aug. 6. Read on for everything to know about the new docuseries, from the trailer to the full episode guide.
Watch the trailer
The Story
Filmmaker Eric Goode follows his first love – reptiles – into the dark and gonzo underworld of exotic animal smuggling. In this global network, everyone is chasing the ultimate prize, whether it be owning the rarest of species, claiming the biggest fortunes, or taking down the most elusive criminals. The billion-dollar criminal enterprise is fueled by extreme obsession for these creatures, driving many to push the boundaries of laws and environmental ethics. As he digs deeper, Goode uncovers a labyrinth of outlaw traffickers, bombastic collectors, and the dogged law enforcement agents on their tails.
Unfolding over decades, Monsters of God traces the evolution of the reptile trade as it skirts the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and grows into a secretive, high-stakes world of backroom dealings and fanatical collectors. With unprecedented access to the major players, from traffickers to animal enthusiasts to federal agents, Goode unravels a web of larger-than-life characters who run a complex international crime ring. Monsters of God warns of the devastating impact of the insatiable desire for the forbidden, and how this mad obsession is pushing some species to the brink of extinction.
Episode Guide
Episode 1: “The Fever” — Debuts Aug. 6. Introduces the rivalry between reptile dealers Hank Molt and Tommy Crutchfield, which escalates into an iguana trafficking case as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service begins investigating.
Episode 2: “Operation Cobra” — Debuts Aug. 13. Florida dealer Ray Van Nostrand connects the reptile trade to Miami drug and gun trafficking through cocaine dealer Mario Tabraue, drawing DEA scrutiny.
Episode 3: “Smuggler’s Inn” — Debuts Aug. 20. Ray’s son Mike Van Nostrand tries to build a legitimate reptile import-export business, but his father pulls him back into illicit dealing with international trafficker Anson Wong.
Episode 4: “Operation Chameleon” — Debuts Aug. 27. Tommy Crutchfield returns to the trade through the breeding of genetically modified rare animals, prompting a federal investigation that implicates major zoos.
Episode 5: “Head of the Snake” — Debuts Sept. 3. Malaysian trafficker Anson Wong becomes the central target as U.S. Fish and Wildlife agent George Morrison goes undercover to try to bring down his network.
Who appears in the series?
Featured participants include reptile dealers Tommy Crutchfield, Hank Molt, Anson Wong, Ray and Mike Van Nostrand, Mario Tabraue, and Beau Lee Lewis, along with author Bryan Christy, former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agents, former DEA Agent Larry Loveless, federal prosecutors, customs agents, zoo officials, snake breeders, and journalist Steve Chao.
Behind the camera
Eric Goode directs. Executive producers are Jeremy McBride, Goode, Harry Go, Emily Osborne, Nicole Stott, Ronald Bronstein, Eli Bush, Josh Safdie, and Kevin Turen. Co-executive producers are Harrison Kreiss and Marissa Torres Ericson. Producers are Tom Petersen, James Liu, Lissa Rivera, Callie Barlow, Charles Divak, Adrienne Gits, and Daniel Johnson. For HBO, executive producers are Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Tina Nguyen.
