Releases

JOURNEY THROUGH THE PLANET’S MOST EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’S NEW SERIES POLE TO POLE WITH WILL SMITH

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – DEC. 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. 13 on National Geographic worldwide and streams next day on Disney+ globally and Hulu in the U.S. 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

GROUNDBREAKING NEW RESEARCH LINKS SOCIAL FRAILTY TO DEMENTIA AND EXAMINES THE INNOVATIVE AI TOOL THAT COULD HELP ADDRESS IT — REVEALED EXCLUSIVELY ON NATGEO.COM

WHAT: NatGeo.com has published a powerful new article that uncovers a potentially groundbreaking link between shrinking social networks and heightened dementia risk, and the emerging AI technology being tested to help counter those effects. The story spotlights new research from Dr. Suraj Samtani, clinical psychologist and postdoctoral research fellow at UNSW’s Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, whose expertise on the science of social connection is also featured prominently in National Geographic’s upcoming documentary CHRIS HEMSWORTH: A ROAD TRIP TO REMEMBER. His latest findings reveal that older adults experiencing social frailty — the weakening of social ties and support systems — face a 50% higher risk of developing dementia. Yet despite its significance, social frailty is still rarely identified or screened for in clinical settings, leaving many older adults vulnerable and unsupported. The new study shows that screening for that social frailty might help doctors predict who will g

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC REVEALS PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2025: 25 UNFORGETTABLE IMAGES THAT CAPTURE A PLANET IN FLUX — FROM WILDLIFE AND WONDER TO HUMAN DISCOVERY

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nov. 18, 2025) – Today, National Geographic unveiled PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2025, highlighting the images that most inspired and defined the past year through the eyes of its photographers and editors. This year’s collection showcases 25 extraordinary images that span the breadth of National Geographic’s storytelling, from intimate wildlife portraits and sweeping composites of changing landscapes to groundbreaking scientific discoveries and compelling human narratives. The photographs capture nature’s most remarkable moments, cutting-edge exploration, and the diverse experiences of people around the world. The standout images include the first underwater photograph of a great white shark in Maine, the largest religious gathering in the world, the last Indigenous people of Europe; the planet’s largest land migration documented by drone, a female polar bear feasting atop a sperm whale in Svalbard, the new benchmark record set for a nuclear tokamak reactor, and the prec

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY FILMS UNVEILS TRAILER AND THEATRICAL RELEASE DATES FOR AWARD-WINNING THE TALE OF SILYAN

WATCH OR EMBED TRAILER DOWNLOAD KEY ART DOWNLOAD STILLS (WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oct. 30, 2025) Today, National Geographic Documentary Films announced the award-winning documentary THE TALE OF SILYAN will make its theatrical debut this fall, opening in select U.S. theaters on Nov. 28 and in U.K. cinemas on Dec. 12. Distributed by Picturehouse in North America and Dogwoof internationally, the official trailer launched today, offering a first look at this poignant and visually arresting story about a wounded white stork and a down-on-his luck farmer who form an unlikely bond. The film, which hails from Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Tamara Kotevska (“Honeyland”) and executive produced by Davis Guggenheim, Concordia Studio, The Corner Shop and Ciconia Film, premiered at the Venice Film Festival to universal critical acclaim. Just this month, THE TALE OF SILYAN was named to DOC NYC’s 2025 shortlist, which showcases 15 of the year’s best documentaries. It was also one of only 10 films selected for

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC UNVEILS FIRST LOOK AT CHRIS HEMSWORTH: A ROAD TRIP TO REMEMBER — A POWERFUL AND HEARTFELT SPECIAL FEATURING THE GLOBAL MOVIE STAR ON HIS MOST PERSONAL JOURNEY YET

TRAILER HERE KEY ART HERE (WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oct. 16, 2025) Today, more than 57 million people worldwide are living with dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease the most common cause. And every year, there are a staggering 10 million new cases of dementia worldwide, which begs the question: What can we do to help those affected by it? This question is what motivated Chris Hemsworth to return with his most personal mission yet: CHRIS HEMSWORTH: A ROAD TRIP TO REMEMBER. Moving beyond his own health as featured in the LIMITLESS series, in this deeply emotional special, Chris embarks on an intimate motorcycle journey across Australia with his father, Craig, who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, to rekindle memories and strengthen their bond, exploring the effective science of connection, community and nostalgia — crucial but often overlooked tools in protecting brain health. The one-hour documentary, from Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa, Jane Root’s Nutop

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ANNOUNCES BEST OF THE WORLD: WHERE TO GO IN 2026, REVEALS 25 MUST-VISIT DESTINATIONS FOR YEAR AHEAD

(WASHINGTON – Oct. 21, 2025) Searching for your next great escape or inspiration for an upcoming adventure? National Geographic today revealed its top picks for BEST OF THE WORLD, the brand’s annual list of the most awe-inspiring, meaningful and immersive travel experiences for the upcoming year. Drawing on the expertise of its editors, travel contributors and international partners, National Geographic’s BEST OF THE WORLD 2026 is the definitive guide to the top destinations to visit in 2026. From Rwandan safaris to Pittsburgh museums, this year’s edition encourages readers to rethink how they travel, embracing deeper connections with nature, culture and communities. The selections span the globe — from the Philippines to Finland — and include four U.S. locations. Designed as a curated selection of options to inspire travelers, BEST OF THE WORLD 2026 includes something for everyone: families, foodies, animal lovers, adventurers and more. This year’s list stands apart by featuring dest

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY FILMS ACQUIRES VENICE FILM FESTIVAL AWARD-WINNER THE TALE OF SILYAN

DOWNLOAD PHOTO HERE   (WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sept. 22, 2025) Fresh off premiering at Venice Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival and being selected to represent North Macedonia in International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards®, National Geographic Documentary Films today announced it has acquired worldwide rights to “The Tale of Silyan” from the Oscar®-nominated director of “Honeyland,” Tamara Kotevska, in collaboration with Concordia Studio, The Corner Shop and Ciconia Film. Winner of the “Best Film” Cinema and Arts Award at the 82nd Venice Film Festival, “The Tale of Silyan” is a poignant and visually arresting story set in the heart of rural North Macedonia. Nikola, a farmer grappling with the harsh realities of new government policies, finds himself unable to sell his land or crops. When his family leaves in search of a better life abroad, Nikola takes a job as a landfill attendant, where he encounters the injured white stork Silyan. As he nurses the bird bac

PIVOTAL DISCOVERY: SUBMERGED ANCIENT ‘PORT’ OFF EGYPT’S COAST COULD BE KEY IN HUNT FOR CLEOPATRA’S TOMB

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sept. 18, 2025) Archeologist and National Geographic Explorer Kathleen Martinez’s 20-year hunt for Cleopatra’s tomb has reached a groundbreaking new milestone. With the help of National Geographic Explorer-at-Large Bob Ballard and a team of underwater archeologists, her latest findings at the ruins of Taposiris Magna—including a foundation plate at the temple site, a trove of artifacts, and a 4,265-foot underground tunnel she found in 2022—pointed directly to the discovery of a sunken port in the depths of the Mediterranean Sea. A series of colossal constructions, arranged in rows and over 20 feet high—including polished floors, cemented blocks, columns, smooth stone, as well as multiple anchors and amphora dated to the time of Cleopatra—suggest the submerged site could have been a port that was once used by Cleopatra. The underwater discovery adds further credence to Martinez’s theory that Cleopatra’s body was brought to Taposiris Magna, carried through the tunnel

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC UNVEILS JET-FUELED TRAILER FOR NEW DOCUSERIES TOP GUNS: THE NEXT GENERATION, TAKING VIEWERS INSIDE THE U.S. NAVY’S ELITE AVIATION PROGRAM

Watch Trailer HERE Download Key Art HERE (WASHINGTON, D.C. – Aug. 19, 2025) It’s the ultimate test of precision, pressure and perseverance. In National Geographic’s new six-part series TOP GUNS: THE NEXT GENERATION, cameras follow a class of Navy and Marine Corps student pilots as they enter the final and most unforgiving phase of elite strike fighter training. It’s six months of high-stakes aerial training, brutal physical demands, and emotional reckoning—where only the top performers earn the chance to fly the most coveted aircrafts. TOP GUNS: THE NEXT GENERATION premieres Sept. 16 at 9/8c on National Geographic and streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu. The series goes beyond the cockpit, following ambitious young Navy and Marine students both in the air and off-base, capturing candid moments with family and friends and revealing the personal stakes, sacrifices and motivations that brought them here. Filmed with unprecedented access, it immerses audiences in a world of intense

NAT GEO’S NINE-TIME EMMYⓇ AWARD-WINNING SERIES TRAFFICKED WITH MARIANA VAN ZELLER RETURNS WITH POWERFUL NEW SEASON EXPLORING THE WORLD’S DEADLIEST UNDERGROUND MARKETS

Watch Trailer HERE Download Key Art HERE (Washington, D.C. – July 3, 2025) National Geographic announced today that nine-time Emmy Award-winning investigative series TRAFFICKED WITH MARIANA VAN ZELLER will return for its highly anticipated new season on Saturday, July 19, at 9/8c. Known for her fearless reporting and unparalleled contacts with the world’s most dangerous black markets, Emmy, Peabody and duPont Award-winning journalist Mariana van Zeller pulls back the curtain on global criminal enterprises—from cartels and scammers to militant extremists and underground drug labs. In the wake of four News and Documentary Emmys wins last week (adding to the five from the year before) and scoring a record 29 nominations this year alone, the new season of TRAFFICKED continues van Zeller’s immersive, on-the-ground reporting in some of the world’s most secretive underground markets. The new season kicks off with a groundbreaking look into the operations of Mexican cartels inside the United