Disney+ Unscripted Slate Features The Quest Revival

Among the slate of new nonfiction projects unveiled by Disney+ is a reimagined The Quest series, now featuring teen participants, as well as the brainteaser competition show The Maze.

Filmed at a castle outside Vienna, Austria, The Quest is a reality competition that takes place in the fantasy world of Everealm. Teen contestants will compete in an unfolding drama where they encounter mystical beings and magical encounters. They will be embedded in a fully immersive, 360-degree world complete with seamless technology, creature design, practical effects and scripted characters who interact dynamically with them. The series is executive produced by Court Five’s Mark Ordesky (The Lord of the Rings) and Jane Fleming; Scout Productions’ David Collins, Michael Williams, Rob Eric (Queer Eye); and New Media Collective’s Bertram van Munster, Elise Doganieri and Mark Dziak (The Amazing Race).

The Amazing Race producers van Munster, Doganieri and Dziak are also working on the adventure competition The Maze, which brings five teams consisting of one adult and one teen relative on a journey of mind-bending proportions. Participants will solve riddles and decipher clues that will guide them through European cities and fairytale villages. In each episode, the characters will reveal information to participants pushing them onward and closer to their final destination where all contestants will convene, but only one team will solve the Maze.

Also revealed, National Geographic’s Meet the Chimps takes viewers into the secret life of Chimp Haven, a 200-acre refuge tucked deep in the forested heart of Louisiana, which is home to more than 300 chimpanzees. The six-part series tracks the ups and downs of a group of chimps that are given a second chance at life. Meet the Chimps is produced by Blink Films (Meet the Penguins, Meet the Orangutans, The Creative Brain), with Justine Kershaw and Michael Welsh serving as executive producers, and Virginia Quinn as series director.

There’s also an untitled Pixar series from Supper Club (Chef’s Table) that will follow Pixar’s inventive SparkShorts program. By offering a select group of Pixar employees the opportunity to make their own animated short film, the SparkShorts program helps discover and support the next generation of Pixar storytellers. The series will give audiences an exclusive and immersive look at the filmmakers and their films while exploring the creative philosophy and community that makes Pixar unique. Brian McGinn, Jason Sterman and David Gelb executive produce.

“These projects take people on epic adventures, immerse them in fantastical worlds and shine a light on extraordinary people and creatures, which are all important benchmarks of our Disney+ nonfiction content philosophy,” said Agnes Chu, senior VP of content at Disney+. “We are thrilled that we get to bring the groundbreaking The Quest back to life, and can’t wait for people to discover The Maze, our special subjects in Meet the Chimps and the innovation and wonder of making Pixar’s SparkShorts.”