EMMYAWARD®-WINNING EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER-AT-LARGE JAMES CAMERON, IN A SURPRISE APPEARANCE AT TCA, ANNOUNCED THE GREENLIGHT OF NEW EARTH DAY SERIES SECRETS OF THE BEES and SECRETS OF THE PENGUINS
Natalie Portman (“Thor: Love & Thunder”) To Narrate Upcoming 2023 Installment
SECRETS OF THE ELEPHANTS
Additionally, Cameron Revealed First Look at TITANIC: 25 YEARS LATER WITH JAMES CAMERON, To Premiere Feb. 5 on National Geographic
(PASADENA, Calif. – Jan. 13, 2023) In a surprise appearance at TCA Winter Press Tour, executive producer and National Geographic Explorer-At-Large James Cameron, taking a break from his global press tour amid the historic success of “Avatar: The Way of the Water,” made the trip to Pasadena to join National Geographic Content President Courteney Monroe onstage today.
During the SECRETS OF THE ELEPHANTS panel, it was revealed that Natalie Portman (“Thor: Love & Thunder”) will narrate the upcoming Earth Day series. Then, Cameron took the stage and shared with the press in attendance new installments of his Emmy-winning National Geographic Earth Day franchise series SECRETS OF with SECRETS OF THE BEES and SECRETS OF THE PENGUINS. (Previously announced, next year’s special will be SECRETS OF THE OCTOPUS).
“On the Avatar films, we’re creating a fantasy view of nature but, thematically, underneath all that is this idea of the interconnectedness not only of nature itself but of us with nature, as inhabitants of nature,” says Cameron. “In the SECRETS series we try to forge an even more intimate and emotional connection with nature–to illuminate how these amazing creatures think, how they feel, how they communicate, how they function as complex societies and cultures.”
“With an over 135-year-old legacy in natural history content, we’re just as passionate about who’s telling our stories as the stories we tell, “said Monroe. “Whether it be our onscreen scientists in SECRETS OF THE ELEPHANTS, our narrators like Natalie Portman, or our filmmakers like Jim Cameron, we have become a port-of-call for best in class talent who want to tell meaningful stories that inspire a deeper connection to our world. Our Secrets Of franchise reinforces our commitment at National Geographic to remaining THE leader in natural history storytelling.”
While at TCA, Cameron also shared a clip of his upcoming National Geographic special TITANIC: 25 YEARS LATER WITH JAMES CAMERON. The special will air on Feb. 5 at 9/8c leading into TITANIC’s remastered theatrical release on Feb. 10. An update of “Titanic: 20 Years Later with James Cameron,” the new documentary features the surprising story of how the long-lost ship was found, explores historical questions about how the Titanic sank, and digs into the debate about whether additional lifeboats on board would have saved more lives. In a new segment, Cameron adds a postscript to his fictional retelling of the tragedy. After hearing fans continue to insist Jack didn’t have to die that night, he gathers hypothermia experts and mounts tests to determine, once and for all, whether both Jack and Rose could have fit on the raft and survived. Link to first look here.
Greenlight announcements included:
SECRETS OF THE BEES (Silverback Films)
Think “bee” and chances are the honeybee will come to mind; yet, there are over 20,000 species of bee on Earth. From mountains to deserts, plains to jungles, bees have conquered every continent on the planet except Antarctica. Their importance to both the natural and human worlds cannot be overestimated. But with the science around bees gathering attention, there’s never been a better time to showcase the intimate secrets of bees. Employing the very latest macro technology to capture the “bee-eye view,” witness intimate bee behaviors showcasing their acute intelligence. And with a uniquely designed beehive filming at the center of the action, cameras will capture the highs and lows of beehive family drama ― a queen bee working tirelessly to defend, feed and serve her family. At the end of the day, it’s all about the family. Emmy Award-winners James Cameron and Maria Wilhelm for Earthship are executive producers. For Silverback Films, executive producers are Alastair Fothergill and Huw Cordey.
SECRETS OF THE PENGUINS (Talesmith)
Three years in the making, 20 years after the Academy Award®-winning “March of the Penguins,” SECRETS OF THE PENGUINS will tell a brand new, world-first story on the charismatic, plucky and sentient birds at the other end of the Earth. Using newly developed technology, world-class scientific research and unprecedented access, National Geographic will unlock the secrets of the species that make their home in surprising and challenging landscapes around the world.
Over three episodes, the series unlocks previously untold stories and revelatory behaviors from global penguin societies, quick to feel love, hate or fear. Antarctica’s strong, powerful but sensitive emperors battle to survive on the dangerous front line of climate change. The street-smart African and little blue penguins live in cities, deserts and beyond, relying on tenacious and “talkative” adolescents to forge new paths into the unknown. Powerful modern themes emerge among the macaronis and chinstraps of wild South Georgia, from strong female leadership to diversity, crime and extreme bravery. Their moving narratives will astonish and inspire, showing penguins to be more like us than we ever realized before.
Emmy Award-winners James Cameron and Maria Wilhelm for Earthship are executive producers. For Talesmith, Emmy and BAFTA-winning executive producers are Ruth Roberts and Martin Williams.
Narrator Announcement
Natalie Portman (“Thor: Love & Thunder”) will narrate the upcoming Earth Day series, SECRETS OF THE ELEPHANTS, premiering on National Geographic on April 21, next day on Disney+ (U.S. only, international to follow). Elephants have long been a source of wonder and mystery with their rich emotional lives and almost supernatural ways of navigating the world. In SECRETS OF THE ELEPHANTS, we travel the globe to meet different families of elephants ― desert elephants, forest elephants, Asian elephants and African savannah elephants ― and each has an incredible story of intelligence, grace and survival to tell. Emmy Award-winners James Cameron and Maria Wilhelm for Earthship are executive producers. Lucinda Axelsson is the executive producer for Oxford Scientific Films.
These greenlights solidify National Geographic’s standing in producing premium, award-winning natural history content, including Emmy Award-winning SECRETS OF THE WHALES and the critically acclaimed AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL, both currently streaming on Disney+. Cameron is part of National Geographic’s growing list of partnerships with visionary filmmakers, passionate conservationists, and marquee talent, including Darren Aronofsky, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jon Favreau, Michael B. Jordan, BBC Natural History Unit, Wildstar Productions and Plimsoll Productions.
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About National Geographic Content
Award-winning and critically acclaimed National Geographic Content, part of a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, creates and delivers riveting stories and experiences in natural history, science, adventure and exploration. Inspiring a deeper connection to the world, the content studio reaches 300 million people worldwide in 180 countries and 33 languages across the global National Geographic channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO), National Geographic Documentary Films, and direct-to-consumer platforms Disney+ and Hulu. Its diverse content includes Emmy® Award-winning franchise Genius, series Life Below Zero and Secrets of the Whales, and Oscar®– and BAFTA award-winning film Free Solo. In 2022, National Geographic Content was awarded eight News and Documentary Emmys, in addition to Life Below Zero’s Emmy win for Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program, it’s sixth Emmy overall. For more information, visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or follow Nat Geo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
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