Nat Geo Greenlights Slew of New Series

National Geographic has greenlit four new unscripted series, including The Real Finding Nemo (w.t.).

Inspired by Pixar’s hit film Finding Nemo, The Real Finding Nemo (w.t.) will immerse viewers in life on the reef and beyond as underwater creatures engage in friendship, deception, romance and resilience. It is being produced by Freeborne Media (Our Great National Parks, Our Oceans, Our Living World).

The documentary is being executive produced by James Honeyborne for Freeborne Media and Tracy Rudolph Jackson for National Geographic.

Another new greenlight is Surviving Pompeii with Tom Hiddleston (w.t.) from Plimsoll Productions. Hiddleston will continue his partnership with Loki executive producer Kevin R. Wright to undertake a historical exploration that will immerse audiences in the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD and the preserved Roman city it left behind. It will meld documentary and drama, and each episode will uncover real stories that have been hidden for centuries, revealing the instants of everyday life that allow us to feel kinship with the humanity of those who lived almost 2,000 years ago.

Surviving Pompeii with Tom Hiddleston (w.t.) is being executive produced by Grant Mansfield, Alan Eyres, Helen Flint and Tom Barbor-Might for Plimsoll Productions, Carolyn Payne for National Geographic and Wright and Hiddleston.

Meet the Planets (w.t.) is in the works by Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort and BBC Studios Science Unit (The Surgeon’s Cut, Walking with Dinosaurs). The astronomy series will bring the galaxy’s most famous family to life, with the sun as the matriarch surrounded by her unruly planetary children. It will bring science and scripted comedy together as one, featuring original animation, allowing the planets to speak for themselves.

Executive producers of Meet the Planets (w.t.) are Andrew Cohen for BBC Studios Science Unit and Betsy Forhan for National Geographic.

National Geographic also greenlit Diana: One Day in Paris from 72 Films (9/11: One Day in America, JFK: One Day in America). The three-part series will explore the tragic death of Princess Diana on the 30th anniversary of the fateful paparazzi car chase through a Parisian motorway tunnel that resulted in her death. The series will look at the 24 hours before and after Diana’s death in forensic detail and follow the story through to her funeral one week later. It will uncover new insights using rare archives and interviews with witnesses who have never spoken publicly.

72 Films’ David Glover and Mark Raphael are executive producing alongside TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and National Geographic’s Carolyn Payne.

“These new unscripted series epitomize everything National Geographic stands for—bold, captivating storytelling rooted in world-class research and expertise,” said Tom McDonald, executive VP of global unscripted and factual content. “Whether it’s the cutting-edge innovation of The Real Finding Nemo (w.t.), the storytelling panache of Surviving Pompeii (w.t.), the sweeping ambition of Meet the Planets (w.t.), or the unparalleled access in Diana: One Day in Paris, National Geographic is building on its reputation as the home of the most distinctive factual series from the very best storytellers in the world.”