On March 27th, 2022, Will Smith’s actions would shock the world with his unprompted assault carried out on an Academy Award stage for millions of people to witness and revisit. Exactly two months before the incident, a new National Geographic series was announced that would feature the actor as the starring man in an ambitious new project shot over the course of one-third of a year.
After the Oscars assault, the Nat Geo project (along with several other productions) was set to spend months in limbo before work could be picked up on it again. After a thorough risk assessment of the Bad Boys actor’s image and balancing his reputation with the cost of producing a new series, Pole to Pole began its work in bringing a documented story about the planet’s terrain to life.
Also read: Michael Bay Reveals Why He Would Still Work With Will Smith in the Future
Will Smith’s Nat Geo Series, Pole to Pole, Catches Steam
The National Geographic series, Pole to Pole, was presented as a part of a multi-project roster submitted to the Television Critics Association that would witness an impressive body of work from Hollywood brand name directors like Darren Aronofsky, Jon Favreau, and James Cameron. The ambitious new project, Pole to Pole, is set to witness Will Smith and his crew traveling the expanse of 26,000 miles between the North Pole and the South over a period of roughly more than 100 days.
The undeniably long trek, however, does not fall under the category of a scientific exploration involving struggle and survival but rather dives into the diversity and culture of every terrain and community the crew encounters along the way. The show will employ Will Smith as its star as well as executive producer. Nutopia and Protozoa Pictures will produce Pole to Pole alongside the actor, helping him bring the immersive vision of the project to Disney+ upon completion.
Pole to Pole Helps Bring Revenue With the Will Smith Brand
Disney’s acquisitions of major companies and powerhouses over the past decade have left the company weak and in need of rejuvenation. With the string of Marvel releases and even more now on the line, the studio looks prime for some branching out into more creative endeavors and investing in some passion projects. Pole to Pole happens to be both a creative endeavor as well as a money maker, especially as its leading man contributed to the most tumultuous noise and uproar last year after the resident nice guy of Hollywood turned scandalous overnight and spent the next 8 months trying to make up for it.
As people flock to the sensational newsmaker’s new series, National Geographic and Disney find a common outlet for their respective goals – the former in trying to “tell bold, best-in-class stories that ignite curiosity and inspire people to explore and care about our world,” and the latter in profitability.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
