National Geographic and Westbrook Studios Announce Five-year, First-look Unscripted Deal to Create Adventure, Exploration, Travel and Science Content

New Deal Comes Ahead of Will Smith’s Epic New Adventure Series From National Geographic for Disney+, WELCOME TO EARTH, Set To Premiere on the Streaming Platform Later This Year

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–National Geographic Content President Courteney Monroe announced today a first-look deal with Westbrook Studios. The five-year deal encompasses the development of all unscripted projects in the areas of adventure, exploration, travel and science for all of National Geographic’s television platforms and National Geographic produced Disney+ Originals. This announcement was made during National Geographic’s virtual TCA summer session.

“Having spent the past two years working with Will and the team at Westbrook Studios (along with Darren Aronofsky and Nutopia) on WELCOME TO EARTH, we are thrilled to be expanding our relationship with them and entering into a long-term partnership to produce blockbuster nonfiction content,” said Monroe. “Will and Westbrook share our passion for telling bold, best-in-class stories that ignite curiosity and inspire people to explore and care about our world, and we can’t wait to see where our next adventures together take us.”

“Will and I are thrilled to partner with National Geographic to bring the astonishing imagery of nature and science to screens around the world. We strive to empower artists to tell stories that connect humanity, and Courteney and the entire Nat Geo team share that vision,” said Westbrook Studios Co-President and Head of Television Terence Carter. “Through these stories, we invite audiences to see the wonder and beauty of the world around us and to experience the endless adventure and exploration that’s possible on our humbling planet.”

Hailing from Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures and Jane Root’s Nutopia alongside Westbrook Studios, WELCOME TO EARTH with Will Smith is slated to premiere on Disney+ later this year.

Smith embarks on an awe-inspiring global journey to unlock the secrets of the most extraordinary and unexplained phenomena of nature. In each episode, Smith—whose curiosity and wonder are positively infectious—is guided by National Geographic Explorers traveling to different corners of the world to get up close and personal with the weirdest, most unusual, dangerous and thrilling spectacles of the planet. From climbing into a live volcano to traversing giant waterfalls or going more than 3,000 feet below the sea, Smith confronts his fears while having the best time uncovering the mysterious inner workings of our planet. Their mission is to seek out the things and places beyond human perception: the hidden worlds that we can’t see, smell, hear or feel.

Carter and Alan Eyres, senior vice president of Development and Production for National Geographic, spearheaded this first-look deal. The partnership between National Geographic and Westbrook Studios was brokered by Creative Artists Agency (CAA).

About National Geographic

National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 133 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

About Westbrook Studios

Westbrook Studios is a subsidiary of Westbrook Inc., the media company launched in 2019 by founders Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, Miguel Melendez and Ko Yada, focused on empowering artists to tell stories that connect the world. Led by Co-Presidents, Terence Carter (Television) and Jon Mone (Film), Westbrook Studios is home to a rapidly expanding footprint in premium motion picture and television projects. In TV, Westbrook Studios recently launched Amend: The Fight for America, a powerful, six-part, Netflix docuseries that uses a groundbreaking, multimedia narrative format to explore the Fourteenth Amendment of the US Constitution. The studio also recently announced an unprecedented two-season order from Peacock for Bel-Air, the dramatic reboot of Will Smith’s iconic ‘The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air’ based on Morgan Cooper’s 2019 viral short film and set to premiere in 2022. In film, upcoming Westbrook Studios projects include the highly anticipated KING RICHARD, based on the life of Richard Williams, father to tennis greats Serena and Venus, EMANCIPATION which sold to Apple in the largest festival acquisition deal in film history, and the remake of the 1980s classic PLANES, TRAINS, & AUTOMOBILES, starring Will Smith and Kevin Hart.

About Westbrook Inc.

Launched in 2019 by founders Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, Miguel Melendez, and Ko Yada, Westbrook is a media company that empowers artists to tell stories that connect the world. Westbrook houses Westbrook Studios, the premium film and television studio; Westbrook Media, a vertically-integrated IP incubator, brand content studio, and production company; Red Table Talk Productions, maker of the hit Facebook Watch shows Red Table Talk and Red Table Talk: The Estefans; and Good Goods, which creates unique consumer products around the company’s IP and talent partners. By leveraging the Smith Family’s deep experience in entertainment and media, Westbrook curates and produces content – from short and mid-form digital to traditional television and motion pictures – for all major platforms.

Contacts

Media Contacts
FOR NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

Chris Albert, chris.albert@natgeo.com
Jenn DeGuzman, jennifer.deguzman@natgeo.com

FOR WESTBROOK INC.

Sarah Rothman, sarah.rothman@ledecompany.com
Emma Parker, emma.parker@ledecompany.com