Disneynature’s “Polar Bear,” Narrated by Catherine Keener; National Geographic’s “Explorer: The Last Tepui,” featuring Alex Honnold; and “The Biggest Little Farm: The Return” Will Stream Friday, April 22 Only on Disney+
BURBANK, Calif. (January 14, 2022) – At today’s Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour, Disney+ hosted an inspiring Earth Day panel where the streaming service announced three new movies and specials launching this Earth Day to celebrate the power within each of us to create change for the better and inspire connections with the wonders of the world we all share. “Polar Bear,” the next wildlife movie from Disneynature; “Explorer: The Last Tepui” the newest installment of National Geographic’s long-running "Explorer” series; and “The Biggest Little Farm: The Return,” a special update based on the 2018 critically-acclaimed documentary on the making of Apricot Lane Farms, will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on April 22, 2022.
This Earth Day, Disney+ will take viewers on a journey around the world – from the rainforests of Guyana to the farms of California to the icy tundras of the Arctic – to witness and celebrate the diversity and resilience of our planet and the species that inhabit it. Filmed in some of the world’s most fascinating, biodiverse, and mysterious environments, all of these dynamic movies and specials give viewers a revealing look at Earth’s splendors, its ecosystems, and inhabitants that face insurmountable environmental changes and threats.
New Movies and Specials Premiering This Earth Day
Disneynature’s “Polar Bear”
Disney+ and Disneynature revealed today that two-time Academy Award® nominee Catherine Keeneer (“Capote,” “Being John Malkovich”) is narrating “Polar Bear.” The film tells the story of a new mother whose memories of her own youth prepare her to navigate motherhood in the increasingly challenging world that polar bears face today. Helmed by Alastair Fothergill and Jeff Wilson, the directing team behind Disneynature’s “Penguins,” and produced by Fothergill, Wilson, Jason Roberts, Keith Scholey and Roy Conli, “Polar Bear” launches exclusively on Disney+ on April 22, 2022.
“Explorer: The Last Tepui”
The Disney+ Earth Day special "Explorer: The Last Tepui,” from National Geographic, follows elite climber Alex Honnold (“Free Solo”) and a world-class climbing team led by National Geographic Explorer and climber Mark Synnott on a grueling mission deep in the Amazon jungle as they attempt a first-ascent climb up a 1000 foot sheer cliff. Their goal is to deliver legendary biologist and National Geographic Explorer Bruce Means to the top of a massive “island in the sky” known as a tepui. The team must first trek miles of treacherous jungle terrain to help Dr. Means complete his life’s work, searching the cliff wall for undiscovered animal species. The one-hour special is the newest installment of National Geographic’s long-running "Explorer” series. This Earth Day, learn why the tepuis – much like the Galapagos – are a treasure trove of biodiversity worth protecting.
“The Biggest Little Farm: The Return”
The Disney+ Earth Day special “The Biggest Little Farm: The Return,” from National Geographic, is based on the 2018 award-winning feature documentary film that tells the story of John and Molly Chester, who abandon their urban life in Los Angeles to live on a barren farm to grow delicious food in harmony with nature in Ventura County. The new special follows the farmers’ 10-year tireless journey as they transform the land into a magical working farm and document the whole process in this heartwarming special that is akin to a real-life “Charlotte’s Web.” Apricot Lane Farms is a beautiful, complex world that reflects our planet’s biodiversity, and this special introduces audiences to animals that will quickly burrow into their hearts, like Emma the pig who welcomes her newest litter and an adorable lamb named Moe who befriends the family. This Earth Day, see how the farmers utilize the interconnectedness of nature to help build soil health, maximize biodiversity, and regeneratively grow the most nutrient-dense food possible.
Disney+ is home to a wide range of movies, series, and specials from Disneynature and National Geographic for nature lovers of all ages. The programming can be found in the Earth Month collection on Disney+.
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About National Geographic Partners
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 133 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Disney+ Media Relations
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Nadia Aziz
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Jennifer Driscoll
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