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Netflix Slates ‘Our Planet’ Massive Nature Documentary Series for 2019

Eight-part series produced with Silverback Films and WWF comes from creators of 'Planet Earth'

Netflix Our Planet
Andy Rouse/WWF

Netflix, in its biggest documentary project to date, has ordered “Our Planet,” an eight-part nature documentary exploring remote wilderness areas across the globe from the creators of the “Planet Earth” series.

“Our Planet,” a four-year collaboration with Silverback Films and conservation group WWF, is scheduled to premiere across all Netflix territories in 2019.

The series is being produced by Silverback Films, led by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey, who created “Planet Earth,” “Frozen Planet” and “Blue Planet” for the BBC and which aired in the U.S. on Discovery Channel. They’re also the team behind Walt Disney Studios’ Disneynature films “Earth,” “Bears,” “African Cats” and “Chimpanzee.”

“Our Planet,” to be shot in Ultra HD 4K format, promises to present never-before-filmed settings, ranging from the ice caps and deep ocean to deserts and remote forests, featuring some of the world’s rarest animals and most precious natural habitats.

As part of the project, WWF will provide the Silverback team access to its projects in protected areas around the world and will collaborate on multimedia content across its Web and other platforms.

“Netflix is proud to be the global home for perhaps Silverback’s most ambitious project to date,” said Lisa Nishimura, VP of Netflix original documentaries. “The ‘Planet’ projects have enjoyed great success on Netflix and have helped launch new technologies for viewing at home. We think watching ‘Our Planet,’ fully on-demand in 4K, will be an unforgettable experience for our members.“

Added Fothergill, “‘Our Planet’ is going to raise the bar for natural-history landmarks… Partnering with Netflix and WWF gives us the ability to reach and enthuse global audiences with the wonder and importance of the natural world.”

“Our Planet” will add to Netflix’s growing stockpile of documentaries. It recently inked a first-look deal with Leonardo DiCaprio and his Appian Way production company for docus with environmental and conservation themes; Appian Way previously teamed with Netflix on “Virunga,” the Oscar-nominated documentary about endangered gorillas in the Congo’s Virunga National Park.

Other documentary films Netflix has acquired rights to include Mike Fleiss’ “The Other One: The Long, Strange Trip of Bob Weir,” about the legendary Grateful Dead co-founder; “What Happened, Miss Simone?,” about legendary singer and pianist Nina Simone, from filmmaker Liz Garbus; foodie docu “Chef’s Table” from David Gelb; and “E-Team,” about four Human Rights Watch workers who were first-responders investigating abuse allegations in Syria and Libya.

Silverback Films, based in Bristol, England, is currently producing “The Hunt,” a series about predators for BBC One, among other projects.