Disney+ debuted the trailer for its newest original series from National Geographic, “America the Beautiful.” As part of their Independence Day celebration this summer, all six episodes will stream Monday, July 4, exclusively on Disney+. Narrated by Emmy®-nominated actor and producer Michael B. Jordan (“Black Panther,” “Creed”), the documentary series takes viewers on an epic journey across North America’s most spectacular regions to witness the breathtaking landscapes of the most diverse land on Earth while showcasing its many unique creatures. The goal is to inspire audiences to conserve the precious habitats and inhabitants found in our own backyards.
From the multiple BAFTA- and Emmy Award®-winning team of Vanessa Berlowitz and Mark Linfield (“Planet Earth,” “Frozen Planet”) at Wildstar Films, “America the Beautiful” is the first natural history series to place cinema-grade cameras on fighter jets, taking viewers on a jaw-dropping ride through some of the most impressive scenery on Earth, revealing rich and textured worlds that are unique to the continent. The jet-mounted cameras show how America’s landscapes fit together and shape one another: a single shot can reveal how the Sierra mountains made the Mojave Desert or the Colorado River carved the Grand Canyon. The same aerial system proved a revelation for also filming wild weather, enabling footage of supercells and tornados from close range. For the series, National Geographic has purchased carbon credits from projects that reduce emissions, benefit communities, and support biodiversity to compensate for production emissions, including the emissions of the aircraft used in filming.
Each episode of “America The Beautiful” showcases smart and brave animal heroes of all sizes — from grizzlies to bald eagles, mountain lions to honeypot ants — whose funny and amazing antics are brought to life with character-led storytelling. To capture elusive and never before seen animal behaviors on the ground, a new generation of remote cameras and gyro-stabilized cameras were used. In the final episode, to celebrate the human conservation heroes of America, producers worked directly with Indigenous tribes such as the Chippewa Cree of Rocky Boy Reservation in Montana to film bison reintroduction and the Gwich’in people of Alaska to document the battle to protect the arctic refuge from oil exploration.
The six-part series features an inspiring soundtrack that not only evokes pride but also the diversity of America. The score was composed by Joseph Trapanese. Music from the series features performances from Ojibwe powwow singer Joe Rainey Sr., Native drum maker and singer Dylan Jennings (Bizhikiins-Young Buffalo), Italian Korean American violinist Lucia Micarelli, Black American bluesman Leonard “Lowdown” Brown, Los Angeles-based multiethnic vocal ensemble Tonality lead by Black American conductor Alexander Blake, and more. Drummer and supporting vocalist from Bon Iver, S. Carey co-wrote and produced the album’s theme music alongside Trapanese.
All six episodes are available to stream on July 4, only on Disney+:
Land of Heroes
Never-before-seen stories of heroic animals — endearing, majestic and downright bizarre — play out against a breathtaking backdrop of America’s most iconic landscapes. Aerial cameras take viewers on a thrilling journey from the ice caps to the desert, from sea to shining sea. From grizzlies hunting caribou in the Alaskan mountains to prairie dogs battling a tornado, find out what it takes to be an American hero.
Waterland
The wetlands of the southeastern USA are a magical world where the boundary between land and water is blurred. Black bears must carry their tiny cubs through gator-infested swamps while dolphins hurl themselves onto land to hunt. Here, Florida panthers have fought their way back from extinction, with a little help from humans, while tiny mice work to protect our shoreline from deadly hurricanes.
Northland
The north of America is a world of rugged mountains, including Denali, the highest peak on the continent, and sweeping Arctic tundra. Up here, the wild heroes, from grizzly bears to musk oxen to beavers to bald eagles, must battle through the continent’s most brutal winter, lit only by the ethereal beauty of the northern lights. For those who can make it, a spectacular summer of plenty awaits.
Wild West
The southwestern USA, the setting for some of the most famous desert landscapes on our planet, is a world of animal heroes who can overcome anything that’s thrown at them, from the baking desert to the mighty Pacific Ocean. Mountain lions patrol the Grand Canyon looking for mates, gray whales tackle the longest mammal migration on Earth, and hummingbird supermoms raise chicks in the blistering heat.
Heartland
The heart of America experiences the biggest temperature swings and the wildest storms on the planet. Life here has to endure four seasons in a day — sometimes in an hour! A cast of all-American heroes, from bison to wolves, burrowing owls to bobcats, uses courage, strength and cunning to overcome the elements and make a living in this wild and beautiful land.
Brave New World
Across North America, a growing band of wildlife heroes is fighting to preserve our most iconic animals and wildest places. Whether the battle is to rewild the northern prairies, save our rarest big cat or restore an underwater forest, these champions are everyday people of all ages and from all walks of life, sharing one thing in common: They care enough to make a difference.
“America The Beautiful” is produced by Wildstar Films for National Geographic. For Wildstar, executive producers are multiple BAFTA- and Emmy Award-winning Mark Linfield and Vanessa Berlowitz (“Planet Earth,” “Frozen Planet”). The showrunner is Dan Rees (“Frozen Planet,” “Atlantic”). Janet Han Vissering is executive producer for National Geographic.
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