Netflix Looks to One-Up Planet Earth With First Trailer for Our Planet

Being the streaming behemoth that it is, it only makes sense that Netflix wants original content of every conceivable kind that its viewers might be motivated to watch. And with the reveal of Our Planet, that will now include one more popular TV niche—expansive nature documentaries narrated by David Attenborough.

The most famous of such are of course Planet Earth and Blue Planet, two series that helped change the landscape of nature documentaries forever by collecting years of film and presenting their images in ultra-crisp HD and slow motion. Both are likewise associated with the cultured British voice of actor-naturalist Attenborough, so it only made sense that Netflix replicate that key aspect. And considering that Attenborough is now 92 years old, it was presumably a pressing matter to do it now, while they still could.

And thus: Our Planet, which promises to present more compelling animal footage in the style of Planet Earth, while also focusing more intently on an ecological message of what viewers can do to help save these creatures before it’s too late. To quote the press release: “Unprecedented in scope and ambition, Our Planet will entertain and captivate a global audience of all ages. More importantly, the series will help start an important conversation about the home we all share at a crucial moment when the world needs to act. Viewers will marvel at the diverse landscapes and precious and rare wildlife, but they’ll also discover what steps need to be taken to protect the natural world.”

“All across our planet, crucial connections are being disrupted,” Attenborough said. “What we do in the next 20 years will determine the future for all life on Earth.”

By way of example, the first episode of Our Planet will travel from the rain forest in Brazil to the Svalbard archipelago in Norway, examining how each fragile ecosystem is threatened by the influence of man.

Our Planet ultimately took four years to film, with footage from more than 50 countries on all continents. 10 different alternate languages will be available, with narration from superstars such as Penélope Cruz for Spain and Salma Hayek for Latin America.

“Being a part of Netflix’s Our Planet is an incredible honor. The series is spectacularly beautiful and the message of conservation could not be more timely or important,” said Penélope Cruz. “I feel very close to everything Our Planet stands for and I’m proud to bring such a powerful piece of work to my home country and audiences around the world.”

Check out the full trailer for Our Planet, which hits Netflix on April 5, 2019, below.