THE POLE TO POLE

THE SOUTH POLE

MEDIA
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Storyline
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.

 

Info
JOURNEY THROUGH THE PLANET’S MOST EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’S NEW SERIES POLE TO POLE WITH WILL SMITH
 
The Seven-Part Docuseries Premieres Jan. 13 on National Geographic Worldwide, Then Streams The Next Day on Disney+ Globally and on Hulu in the U.S., 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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ASHINGTON, 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 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.”

 

 
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OLE 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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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