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The Seven-Part Docuseries Premieres Jan. 14 on National Geographic and Disney+, Produced By Westbrook Studios, Nutopia and Protozoa
From the South Pole to the North Pole, Will Smith Joins Seven Extraordinary Expeditions To Discover the Secrets of Earth’s Most Extreme Environments, Pushing His Mental and Physical Resilience to the Limits
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(LONDON, UK – DECEMBER 11, 2025) This January, Will Smith takes audiences on the ultimate journey of discovery in the new National Geographic original series POLE TO POLE WITH WILL SMITH. The seven-part docuseries premieres Jan. 14 on National Geographic in the UK and Disney+ . Five years in the making, the series follows Will across all seven continents, taking him from the icefields of Antarctica to the jungles of the Amazon, the mountains of the Himalayas, the deserts of Africa, the islands of the Pacific and the icebergs of the Arctic.
Inspired by his late mentor to explore life’s big questions, Will throws himself into incredible challenges for 100 days: skiing to the South Pole, catching a giant anaconda, milking a venomous tarantula, climbing mountains, and diving under the ice of the North Pole. He will venture from pole to pole in the company of scientists, explorers and local experts.
Told with a cinematic scale, access, and authenticity only National Geographic can deliver, this once-in-a-lifetime adventure blends cutting-edge science, environmental storytelling, and bold exploration. Guided by experts, scientists and explorers, Will helps make world-first scientific discoveries and forges profound human connections — from the Amazon’s Waorani community to the Kalahari’s San people,whose knowledge and resilience offer powerful lessons about our future on the planet. POLE TO POLE WITH WILL SMITH is an epic global undertaking defined by endurance, wonder and hope.
“This journey was unlike anything I’ve ever done — at times I feared I might not make it home! It’s an exploration not just of the planet’s edges, but of some of the most extraordinary people living there,” said Smith. “From the coldest ice to the deepest jungles, the beauty of our world inspired my every step with awe and hope.”
“With POLE TO POLE WITH WILL SMITH, we’re inviting audiences to see our planet through Will’s eyes — with all the wonder, humor, and humanity he brings to every experience,” said Tom McDonald, EVP, Content, National Geographic. “It’s a thrilling adventure that embodies what National Geographic does best: combining jaw-dropping cinematography, powerful storytelling and a deeper understanding of how our world works - and why it matters.”
Episodes include the following:
- “The South Pole” premieres on National Geographic in the UK January 14 at 8pm and the same day on Disney+
Will heads to the South Pole, where temperatures can drop below minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit. He skis and treks across giant icefields, and, faced with a giant cliff of ice in bone-chilling winds, struggles to climb to the top. Only with the support of one of the world’s best polar athletes, Richard Parks, does he succeed. In one of the planet’s most isolated research stations, scientists take ice cores deep under the surface and make incredible sacrifices to pursue their research.
- “The Amazon: Deadly Creatures”premieres on National Geographic in the UK January 14 at 9pm and the same day on Disney+
Will, a man scared of spiders his whole life, ventures deep into the Ecuadorian Amazon on an expedition in search of deadly creatures. Joined by professor Bryan Fry and local mountaineer Carla Perez, they abseil 200 feet into a cave network known as the “womb of the Earth,” where they discover a giant tarantula. Using cutting-edge techniques, they extract its venom, which could hold the key to saving millions of lives.
- “The Amazon: Dark Waters”premieres on National Geographic in the UK January 21 at 8pm and January 14 on Disney+
Will, Bryan and Carla join local Waorani elder Penti Baihua in the Amazon, in search of the world's biggest snake: the giant green anaconda. They carefully remove just one scale from the 17-foot snake’s skin. Will’s fear turns into relief, then joy. The single scale can reveal the health of the entire ecosystem — crucial for the future of both wildlife and the Waorani.
- “The Himalayas” premieres on National Geographic in the UK January 28 at 8pm and January 14 on Disney+
Will travels to the kingdom of Bhutan on a deeply intimate journey in search of the secret to happiness. Guided by happiness expert professor Dacher Keltner and local writer Tshering Denkar, Will treks to one of the highest and happiest villages in the Himalayas, at 13,000-foot altitude. While there, he confronts some of the most challenging moments of his extraordinary life and career.
- “The Pacific Islands”premieres on National Geographic in the UK February 4 at 8pm and January 14 on Disney+
Joined by linguist Dr. Mary Walworth and local marine ecologist John Aini, Will travels to the South Pacific on an expedition to a remote island threatened by rising seas. What begins as an exploration into an incredible marine paradise transforms into a truly revelatory journey for Will about his own history as they record a lost language spoken by only five people.
- “The Kalahari Desert” premieres on National Geographic in the UK February 11 at 8pm and January 14 on Disney+
Will travels deep into the Kalahari Desert to meet the San people, one of the oldest hunter-gatherer groups on Earth. To discover the secret to their enduring success, he must join them on a hunt in one of the most inhospitable places on the planet. Led by local San bushman guide Kane Motswana, it’s not long before he realizes he’s entirely unsuited to this adventure.
- “The North Pole”premieres on National Geographic in the UK February 18 at 8pm and January 14 on Disney+
The final leg of Will’s 100-day adventure is his most dangerous mission yet: an expedition to dive under the ice at the North Pole to help polar ecologist Allison Fong capture world-first scientific samples. But when a snowstorm and mechanical failure put the mission in crisis, Will learns what it takes to be a hero in real life.
POLE TO POLE WITH WILL SMITH is produced by Westbrook Studios, Nutopia, and Protozoa for National Geographic. Will Smith is host and executive producer. For Westbrook, Terence Carter and Miguel Melendez are executive producers. For Nutopia, Jane Root and Peter Lovering are executive producers, and Tom Williams is co-executive producer. For Protozoa, Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel are executive producers. For National Geographic, Sean D. Johnson and Bengt Anderson are executive producers, and Tom McDonald is executive vice president of Content. Following “One Strange Rock” and “Welcome to Earth,” POLE TO POLE WITH WILL SMITH is Will’s third project with National Geographic.
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About National Geographic Content
Representing the largest brand on social media with over 780 million followers and 1.1 billion impressions each month, National Geographic Content's award-winning and critically acclaimed storytelling inspires fans of all ages to connect with, explore and care about the world through factual storytelling. National Geographic Content, part of a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, reaches over 532 million people worldwide in 172 countries and 33 languages as a digital, social and print publisher and 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 Oscar®- and BAFTA award-winning film Free Solo, Oscar-nominated films Sugarcane, Fire of Love and Bobi Wine: The People's President, Emmy® Award-winning franchise 9/11: One Day in America and JFK: One Day in America, Emmy Award-winning series Animals Up Close, series Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller, Life Below Zero, and Secrets of the Whales, in addition to multiple National Magazine Awards, Pulitzer Prize Finalists and Webby wins. Visit nationalgeographic.com and natgeotv.com as or explore Instagram, Threads, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit.
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About Westbrook Studios
Launched in 2019 by founders Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, Miguel Melendez, and Ko Yada, Westbrook is focused on empowering artists to tell stories that connect the world. In film, Westbrook most recently released Bad Boys 4: Ride Or Die (Sony), which grossed over $400 million at the global box office.
Upcoming film projects include Netflix’s Fast & Loose with David Leitch’s 87North, Warner Bros’ I Am Legend 2 starring Will Smith and Michael B. Jordan, Listen starring Noah Centineo, Amazon/MGM’s Night Of The Living Dead sequel written by LaToya Morgan and to be directed by Nikyatu Jusu.
In TV, Westbrook is producing the fourth season of the NAACP Image Award-winning Bel-Air (Peacock) and the travel adventure series “Pole to Pole” (National Geographic and Disney+). Westbrook is also behind the eight-time Emmy and SAG Award–nominated series “Cobra Kai” (Netflix), the three-time Daytime Emmy–winning series “African Queens: Njinga” (Netflix), and the travel adventure series “Welcome to Earth” (Disney+).
About Nutopia
Nutopia is renowned for producing award-winning series on a global scale, combining epic cinematography with premium documentary storytelling and A-list talent.
Recent releases include season 2 of Limitless with Chris Hemsworth, Secrets Declassified with David Duchovny for The HISTORY Channel, and the Daytime Emmy-nominated Shark Beach with Anthony Mackie: Gulf Coast for National Geographic’s Sharkfest. Nutopia’s upcoming slate includes a landmark 20-part World War II series with Tom Hanks for The HISTORY Channel and Pole to Pole with Will Smith for National Geographic and Disney+.
About Protozoa
Protozoa, based in Chinatown NYC, is headed by Darren Aronofsky and his partner, Ari Handel. Their film credits include Aronofsky’s π, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, THE FOUNTAIN, THE WRESTLER, BLACK SWAN, NOAH, mother!, THE WHALE, POSTCARD FROM EARTH for MSG Sphere, and, recently, CAUGHT STEALING for Sony Pictures; as well as Pablo Larrain’s JACKIE, Yann Demange’s WHITE BOY RICK, Lance Oppenheim’s SOME KIND OF HEAVEN, Josef Kubota Wladyka’s CATCH THE FAIR ONE, Alex Pritz’s THE TERRITORY, Tobias Lindholm’s THE GOOD NURSE, Jack Begert’s LITTLE DEATH, Olivier Sarbil’s documentary VIKTOR, and Brandon Kramer’s HOLDING LIAT. TV credits include ONE STRANGE ROCK, WELCOME TO EARTH, and LIMITLESS for Nat Geo, KINDRED for FX, BLACK GOLD for Paramount+, and, most recently, LIMITLESS: LIVE BETTER NOW and CHRIS HEMSWORTH: A ROAD TRIP TO REMEMBER for Nat Geo.
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