National Geographic Archives

National Geographic’s ‘Epic Adventures With Bertie Gregory’ to Bow in September on Disney+

The Disney+ original series “Epic Adventures With Bertie Gregory,” from National Geographic, will premiere in September on the service.

The series has also been picked up for a second season, which is filming now, according to Disney+.

In “Epic Adventures,” armed with leading-edge film technology, 28-year-old National Geographic explorer Bertie Gregory takes viewers on journeys that break the mold of the traditional natural history program. For weeks at a time, the BAFTA Award-winning cinematographer immerses himself in the animals’ lives to capture the untold stories of iconic creatures living in some of the harshest environments on our planet.

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This season, viewers see Gregory braving the icy worlds of Antarctica in search of the biggest gathering of whales ever filmed and coming face-to-face with specialist buffalo-hunting lions in Zambia.

National Geographic Begins Streaming ‘America the Beautiful’ Limited Series on Disney+ on Independence Day

Disney+ July 4 has begun streaming “America the Beautiful,” a six-part documentary from National Geographic that showcases the country’s picturesque landmarks and unique animals.

Narrated by Michael B. Jordan, the series highlights select animal creatures overcoming the elements throughout the country, including the mountainous Northwest, the steamy South, the arid West and the endless Midwest.

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America The Beautiful | Official Trailer | Disney+

‘World According to Jeff Goldblum’ Season 2 Begins Nov. 12 on Disney+

The first five episodes of the second season of “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” will be available to stream on Disney+ starting Nov. 12.

The original documentary series from National Geographic features Jeff Goldblum uncovering surprising secrets about seemingly familiar topics. In each episode, Goldblum’s insatiable appetite for learning and sense of wonderment take him from coast to coast to meet with passionate fans, experts and scientists, to gain a deeper understanding of how ordinary objects are extraordinary.

Episodes available Nov. 12 include “Magic,” “Fireworks,” “Monsters,” “Dogs” and “Dance.”

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In “Magic,” Goldblum learns mind-bending tricks from Las Vegas icons Penn & Teller and has his perception of reality destroyed by viral superstar Zach King. In “Fireworks,” Goldblum learns the fireworks business is booming and discovers how the feeling of awe affects us and the weird and wonderful ways we seek it out. In “Monsters,” Goldblum discovers the frightening truth behind why we love to be scared and meets master monster-maker Phil Tippet in his legendary studio before embarking on a monster hunt in the Big Foot forests among the California redwoods. In “Dogs,” Goldblum meets every kind of working dog imaginable and gets to the heart of why dogs mean so much to us. In “Dance,” Goldblum does a grand jeté into the world of dance, from spinning in a roller disco to entertaining a dance battle.

The five remaining episodes from season two will be available to stream on Disney+ early next year. The first season of “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” is currently available on Disney+ and covers topics such as sneakers, denim, ice cream, cosmetics, pools, bikes, RVs, gaming, jewelry, BBQ and coffee.

Disney+ Greenlights Nat Geo Docu-Series ‘On the Edge With Alex Honnold’

Disney+ has greenlighted the three-part National Geographic original docu-series “On the Edge With Alex Honnold.”

In the series, Honnold, subject of Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo (now available on Disney+), will embark on his dream of exploring Greenland and summiting its most challenging and remote peaks. Along the way, he will meet the scientists working on the front line of climate change and witness the impacts of the rapid melting for himself.

With an overabundance of virgin climbs, impossible walls, world class and deadly, Greenland is considered the world’s last great climbing frontier and has also become the crucible of the climate crisis. In 2020, 300 billion tons of Greenland ice disappeared, the biggest annual melt in recorded history. As Honnold explores the impact that has had, he and his team will face intimidating icebergs, dangerous moulins (sinkholes on glaciers), difficult rockfalls and ice storms.

His ultimate test will come from Peak 3342, to-date unclimbed and one of the highest peaks in Greenland. Though there’s more exposed rock and less snow and ice, this is uncharted territory.

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“I’ve always wanted to climb in Greenland — it has some of the most remote and epic walls in the world. But it’s also being tremendously affected by climate change,” Honnold said in a statement. “I’m very excited about the opportunity to explore the climbing while also sharing some of the local impacts of climate change with a global audience. Our changing climate is the biggest issue facing humanity and I hope that this will help inspire people to take action.”

Honnold is a professional adventure rock climber whose audacious free solo ascents of America’s biggest cliffs have made him one of the most recognized and followed climbers in the world. He is also the founder of the Honnold Foundation, an environmental nonprofit devoted to fighting climate change by promoting solar energy for a more equitable world.

Ford to Debut New Bronco Vehicles in Short Films on Disney, Hulu Platforms

With automobile shows canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Ford Motor Company July 2 announced it would reveal its new Ford Bronco 4×4 vehicles in a series of custom videos on July 13 across Disney’s Media Networks, including ABC, ESPN, National Geographic and Hulu.

It’s the first time Ford has launched a primetime TV product reveal across Disney’s broadcast, cable, digital and streaming channels.

The automaker initially planned to reveal the Bronco 4×4 SUVs in June at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. After the pandemic prompted organizers to cancel the show, Ford’s marketing team reconceived the reveal strategy, aiming to pull in an even broader audience.

The campaign marks the first time Disney’s creative agency is deploying custom branded content, across multiple networks. Each film will air on the respective networks during the first commercial break in the 8 p.m. ET hour.

All three-minute films will be available to viewers on Hulu, starting July 14, through interactive ad formats, and within a curated collection of outdoor and survival-themed content aligned with the Bronco lifestyle.

“With Ford, we’re reimagining what a product reveal can look like by drawing upon our sports, entertainment and streaming brands,” Rita Ferro, president, Disney Advertising Sales, said in a statement.

The ABC spot features country music singer Kip Moore during “CMA Best of Fest,” the Country Music Association’s three-hour concert experience, airing July 13 (8–11 p.m. ET). The ESPN video — airing during “SportsCenter” — features a different Bronco model with professional climber Brooke Raboutou.

Academy Award-winning director, cinematographer, photographer Jimmy Chin will spotlight another Bronco during “National Parks: Yosemite” on National Geographic. Additionally, Chin will judge a hashtag challenge contest and appear in an “Instagram Story” featuring the Bronco on NatGeo’s Instagram account.

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In addition to the films created for ABC, ESPN and National Geographic, Ford also will share additional special content with fans on its YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter channels starting at 8 p.m. ET on July 13.

“As a new era for Bronco begins, we’re proud to tap the strengths of epic adventurers like Jimmy Chin and Disney storytellers to help bring Bronco to life,” said Jim Farley, Ford’s chief operating officer.

Disney+ Renews ‘World According to Jeff Goldblum’ for Season 2

Disney+ is renewing “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” for a second season on the streaming service.

Produced by Nutopia, “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” is the service’s first original series from National Geographic and will conclude its freshman season Jan. 24.

“Jeff has captured the imagination and curiosity of our audience with his distinct perspective and illuminating adventures,” said Ricky Strauss, president, content and marketing, Disney+. “We can’t wait to see where Jeff and our partners at National Geographic take us in season two.”

After premiering on Nov. 12, subscribers have followed host and executive producer Goldblum across the country as he unravels the fascinating truths behind familiar objects we all know and love. The first season explored a spectrum of topics from ice cream and sneakers to denim and RVs. In the 10-episode second season, Jeff will bring viewers on an entertaining and insightful ride around the world as he unearths a new batch of everyday objects.

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Courteney Monroe, president, National Geographic Global Television Networks, shared the season pick-up as part of National Geographic’s Television Critics Association presentation.

“Jeff’s genuine curiosity in the world make him a natural fit for the National Geographic brand. There is something special and intangible about Jeff and his fascination with the world is infectious,” said Monroe. “We’re thrilled to be able to share his humor and sensibilities to a broader audience on Disney+.”

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Disney+ Bows YouTube Clip Showcasing 2020 Content

SVOD service Disney+ Jan. 1 launched a social media blitz offering a sneak peak into coming content in 2020.

“New year, new stories — and some familiar ones!,” the service tweeted. From Toy Story 4 and Aladdin to “Lizzie McGuire” and Marvel Studios’ WandaVision, here’s a look at the blockbusters and originals coming to #DisneyPlus in 2020.

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The service launched on Nov. 12 reportedly has more than 15 million registered users — many of whom using third-party promotions such as 12 months free service to any Verizon subscriber.

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Disney+ includes content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic.

The promotion for new programming comes as the service hopes to retain subscribers following the end of the first season of “The Mandalorian.” Several “Star Wars” fans took to Twitter the final week of the year vowing to cancel their service until the second season debuts in the fall.

Disney Stops Running Netflix Ads on its Networks

The streaming video wars are heating up.

With Disney set to launch a branded $6.99 subscription streaming video service (Disney+) on Nov. 12, it has reportedly begun circling the wagons around its media brands — denying Netflix ads from airing on select entertainment networks.

Netflix, in a shrewd marketing move, had apparently upped running ad-spots specifically on Disney networks.

Impacted properties include ABC (notably the Oscars), FX, Freedom and National Geographic. Disney will still accept Netflix advertising on ESPN since the SVOD pioneer does not stream live sports.

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In a statement first reported by The Wall Street Journal, Disney said that as the “direct-to-consumer business has evolved, with many more entrants looking to advertise in traditional television, and across our portfolio networks … [it has] “reevaluated our strategy to reflect the comprehensive business relationships have with many of these companies, as direct-to-consumer is one element.”

While rival media/tech companies also ready proprietary streaming services, it is unknown if their marketing has been impacted by Disney’s move.

But then they aren’t Netflix, which with more than 150 million subscribers worldwide, dominates the SVOD ecosystem.

In 2017, Disney began pulling back original movies (i.e. Star Wars, Pixar) and select Marvel programming from Netflix as it began assembling Disney+. The move was noteworthy considering the two companies in 2015 inked a landmark distribution deal making Netflix the exclusive pay-TV distributor for Disney movies.

In a related move, Disney CEO Bob Iger removed himself from the board of Apple as the tech giant readies a reboot of its Apple TV platform to include subscription streaming video and original content.

Oscar-Winning Documentary ‘Free Solo’ Streaming on Hulu

Hulu is now streaming Free Solo, the Academy Award-winning Best Documentary Feature highlighting soloist climber Alex Honnold.

The film, which began streaming on the service March 13, is from award-winning documentary filmmaker Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and world-renowned photographer and mountaineer Jimmy Chin. It’s an unflinching portrait of Honnold as he prepares to achieve his lifelong dream of climbing El Capitan, the 3,200-foot peak in Yosemite National Park, without a rope.

“Free Solo is a true masterpiece that combines awe-inspiring camerawork with the kind of authentic storytelling that Hulu viewers love,” said Lisa Holme, VP of content acquisition at Hulu. “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with our friends at National Geographic Documentary Films to add this extraordinary film to the growing slate of award-winning documentaries available on Hulu.”

The documentary debuted at the Telluride Film Festival and has screened at more than 30 film festivals around the world, including TIFF, IDFA, Adelaide, Mill Valley Film Festival, DOC NYC and the Savannah Film Festival. It is the second highest-grossing documentary of 2018 in the United States and has been honored with a BAFTA for Best Documentary Feature, along with three Critics Choice awards, three Cinema Eye awards, an ACE award for Best Documentary, and PGA and DGA nominations, among several other recognitions.

Einstein Biopic Series ‘Genius’ Due on DVD April 17

National Geographic’s first-ever scripted series, “Genius,” about the life of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Albert Einstein, will hit DVD April 17 from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Geoffrey Rush stars as Einstein in the series from executive producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard.

Special features include:

“Meet the Characters,”
“Einstein’s Love Life,”
“Einstein’s Escape From Hitler,”
“The Making of Genius,”
“Behind the Scenes with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer
“Behind the Scenes with the Cast,”
“Costumes and Makeup,”
“What Does ‘Genius’ Mean?,”
“Two Einsteins.”