Disneynature Takes On New Title

BURBANK/LONDON/PARIS: The Walt Disney Studios’ wildlife doc label Disneynature has picked up the North American and Mexican theatrical rights to OceanWorld 3D, a film presented by Jean-Michel Cousteau.

The first feature-length nature documentary ever filmed and released in 3D is a production of 3D Entertainment, a company founded in 2001. OceanWorld 3D is presented by Jean-Michel Cousteau, the son of the legendary Jacques-Yves Cousteau, and was directed and produced, respectively, by Jean-Jacques and Francois Mantello. The 85-minute title premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last month and will be released theatrically in France and Russia this August. Disneynature will announce the North American debut at a later date.

Jean-Francois Camilleri, the executive VP and general manager for Disneynature, said of the acquisition: "This is exactly the kind of film that Disneynature is striving to make, and it delivers an incomparable level of quality and craftsmanship. 3D Entertainment set out to create the most extraordinary underwater adventure ever captured on film, and they have exceeded all expectations with OceanWorld 3D."

The Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Argentina’s Peninsula Valdez and Mexico’s Roca Partida Island are among the locales feature in the film, which was in production for seven years and included 25 international expeditions, with 200 hours of footage shot exclusively in the wild in 3D.

Disneynature, launched in April 2008, recently released EARTH in the U.S., garnering a record-breaking opening weekend for a nature documentary.