Eight Disney Releases Earn a Combined 17 Wins at the 2021 NAACP Image Awards

Congratulations to Disney’s 2021 NAACP Image Awards Winners

The Walt Disney Company received 17 NAACP Image Awards for 2021, including eight for ABC, which marked the most for any network or distributor this year. The awards were announced during a special live broadcast of the 52nd NAACP Image Awards, hosted by Anthony Anderson, star of ABC’s black-ish, on Saturday, March 27, 2021 and as part of a weeklong NAACP Image Awards Virtual Experience that began Monday, March 22, 2021. As he kicked off the live event, Anderson said, “Tonight, we celebrate all that is amazing, outstanding and beautiful about our Blackness… Black people, we are amazing, limitless and remarkable.”

The NAACP Image Awards honor the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film and also recognize individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors. This year’s nominees “have provided moments of levity, brought our communities together and lifted our spirits through culture when we needed it the most,” NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said when the nominations were announced in February.

ABC’s black-ish, which is currently in its seventh season on ABC, earned five NAACP Image Awards—more than any other show—including Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for Anderson and two awards for Marsai Martin, who was named Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series).

Disney General Entertainment Content also received NAACP Image awards for ABC’s Celebrity Family Feud and Disney Junior’s Doc McStuffins, which earned two apiece; Viola Davis, star of ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder, was named Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series; and FX’s The New York Times Presents “The Killing of Breonna Taylor” was honored as Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special).

In accepting her award, Davis thanked series creator Peter Nowalk, executive producer Shonda Rhimes and “the beautiful cast of How to Get Away with Murder,” which concluded in 2020 after a successful six-season run on ABC. “It was the joy and journey of my life to go on this ride with you,” Davis said and she credited Nowalk for “redefining what it means to be a leading lady, what it means to be a woman, what it means to be Black on network television.”

Four NAACP Image Awards went to Disney and Pixar’s Soul, which is streaming on Disney+, including Outstanding Animated Motion Picture and Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance—Motion Picture. The film’s music was honored with two awards for Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album and Outstanding Jazz Album—Instrumental. “Being able to tell a universal tale that explores the meaning of life through the prism of a Black man’s experiences was a special and incredible honor for all of us,” said Kemp Powers, co-director of Soul. “And though the details of all of our stories are very specific, the struggle to find meaning in our lives is universal.”

ESPN’s The Last Dance, which chronicled Michael Jordan and the 1997–98 Chicago Bulls, was named Outstanding Documentary (Television). Additionally, Hulu Originals’ Little Fires Everywhere received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series, which went to Attica Locke for her episode, “The Spider Web.”

Here is the full list of winners from across The Walt Disney Company:

black-ish (ABC)—5 awards

    Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series: Anthony Anderson
    Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Deon Cole
    Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Marsai Martin
    Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series): Marsai Martin
    Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series: Anya Adams, “Hair Day”

Soul (Pixar Animation Studios / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Disney+ / Walt Disney Records)—4 awards

    Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
    Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance—Motion Picture: Jamie Foxx
    Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: Soul Original Motion Picture Soundtrack; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste and Tom MacDougall
    Outstanding Jazz Album—Instrumental: Music From and Inspired By Soul; Jon Batiste

Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)—2 awards

    Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)
    Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special)—Individual or Ensemble: Steve Harvey

Doc McStuffins (Disney Junior)—2 awards

    Outstanding Animated Series
    Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television): Laya DeLeon Hayes

How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)—1 award

    Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Viola Davis

The Last Dance (ESPN / Netflix)—1 award

    Outstanding Documentary (Television)

Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)—1 award

    Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: Attica Locke,“The Spider Web”

The New York Times Presents “The Killing of Breonna Taylor” (FX)—1 award

    Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

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Seven Disney Releases Earn a Combined 15 Nominations at the 93rd Oscars

The Walt Disney Company Earns 15 Academy Award Nominations

Nominations for the 93rd Oscars® were recently announced, and films from across The Walt Disney Company combined to earn 15 Academy Award® nominations for 2021.

Searchlight Pictures’ critically acclaimed Nomadland received six nominations, including Best Motion Picture. The film’s star, Frances McDormand, is nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and Chloé Zhao received nods for Best Achievement in Directing, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Achievement in Editing. With Nomadland, Searchlight Pictures has now garnered 19 Best Picture Oscar Nominations and a grand total of 164 Academy Award nominations. The studio has won 40 Academy Awards since 1994, including four Best Picture winners since 2009: Slumdog Millionaire, 12 Years a Slave, Birdman and The Shape of Water.

Disney+ received its first Oscar nominations since launching in 2019. The service is home to a variety of nominated content including Onward, Soul, and the animated short Burrow, all from Disney and Pixar; Disney’s Mulan and Disney’s The One and Only Ivan. Soul and Onward are both nominated for Best Animated Feature, and Soul received two additional nominations this morning for Best Original Score and Best Sound. Disney’s Mulan received nominations for Best Costume Design and Best Visual Effects; Disney’s The One and Only Ivan is nominated for Best Visual Effects; and Disney and Pixar’s Burrow is among this year’s nominees for Best Animated Short Film.

The Hulu Original film The United States vs. Billie Holiday garnered a nomination for its star, Andra Day, who is among the nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Hulu is also the exclusive streaming home to Searchlight Pictures’ Nomadland.

Here is the complete list of nominations from across The Walt Disney Company:

Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures): 6 Nominations

Best Motion Picture—Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Dan Janvey, Mollye Asher, Chloé Zhao

Best Actress in a Leading Role—Frances McDormand

Best Achievement in Directing—Chloé Zhao

Best Adapted Screenplay—Chloé Zhao

Best Achievement in Editing—Chloé Zhao

Best Achievement in Cinematography—Joshua James Richards

Soul (Pixar Animation Studios / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Disney+ / Disney Music Group): 3 Nominations

Best Animated Feature

Best Original Score—Jon Batiste, Atticus Ross, Trent Reznor

Best Achievement in Sound

Mulan (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Disney+): 2 Nominations

Best Costume Design

Best Visual Effects

Onward (Pixar Animation Studios / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures): 1 Nomination

Best Animated Feature

The One and Only Ivan (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Disney+): 1 Nomination

Best Visual Effects

Burrow (Pixar Animation Studios / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Disney+): 1 Nomination

Best Animated Short Film

The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu): 1 Nomination

Best Actress in a Leading Role—Andra Day

Soul director Pete Docter, producer Dana Murray and co-director Kemp Powers said, “Thank you to the Academy for this incredible honor, we are truly humbled. Soul represents several years of research, intense work, self-doubt and also a good deal of fun. Our journey on the film was similar to that of Joe Gardner’s—well, except the part where he falls down a manhole. As we struggled with story clarity and tried out who-knows-how-many different endings, we began to realize how important it was to savor what may have felt like minor moments along the way: the satisfaction of jotting down a preliminary sketch on a scrap of paper; hearing the first chords from the earliest music demos; laughing with the crew. Though we might not have known it at the time, moments like these helped inspire us and fed back into the film in innumerable ways. Though we are living through challenging times, being recognized by the Academy gives us hope that the joy we found and put into our film was shared by audiences, and nothing could be more meaningful than that.”

The talented musicians who created the score for Soul—Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste—had this reaction to their Oscar nominations: “We are astounded and incredibly grateful to be considered for the Academy Award for Best Original Score on behalf of Soul. This was a profoundly rewarding creative collaboration filled with so much love, light and lineage. The warm reception of the film continues to humble us. We will be celebrating this tremendous honor in anticipation of the ceremony to come.”

Onward director Dan Scanlon and producer Kori Rae shared, “Thank you to the Academy for honoring our film. We share this nomination with the entire cast and the crew at Pixar who were essential in bringing the magic and wonder of Ian and Barley’s journey to life. Onward was a very personal story, exploring the idea of what one would do if they had more time with a loved one they’d lost. It’s incredibly meaningful to see how this has resonated with audiences, and we couldn’t be more thankful to the Academy for their recognition.”

“We are incredibly honored to receive this nomination and be celebrated alongside such an inspiring collection of shorts—it means the world to us and the entire Burrow crew. Burrow is a short that encourages people not be afraid to open themselves up to others—and to be recognized in a year when maybe a lot of people have been feeling isolated, really means the world to us,” said Burrow director Madeline Sharafian and producer Michael Capbarat. “A sincere thank you to the Academy for this recognition.”

Mulan’s nominees for Best Visual Effects—Sean Faden, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury and Steve Ingram—said, “The VFX team of Mulan is so thrilled and deeply honored to be recognized by our branch! Thanks to our VFX producer Di Giorgiutti, our production family and our actual families! Thanks to our SFX team and all of the VFX companies (Weta, Imageworks, Framestore, Image Engine and Crafty Apes) for their stellar work and friendship. A special thanks to the amazing team at Disney including producer Jason Reed and our wonderful executive Mimi Steele, our fearless director Niki Caro and incredibly supportive DP Mandy Walker and amazing production designer and costume designer Grant Major and Bina Daigeler for giving us such rich textures to work with. It was fun bringing this world to life and I hope people will get a chance to see the work again.”

The film’s costume designer, Bina Daigeler, said, “I am over the moon and so thrilled to be nominated. It’s such a great honor and thank you to the Academy for my nomination. I am so happy to see my name alongside my amazing costume designer colleagues. Mulan was such a great and important experience. I am full of gratitude to get this recognition, especially during this rough time, and am sharing my happiness with my friends around the world.

“This nomination is a testament to the passion and talent of the visual effects artists at MPC Film,” said The One and Only Ivan’s Production VFX Supervisor Nick Davis. “We are honored to receive an Oscar nomination for the visual effects of The One and Only Ivan. I’d also like to thank our friends at Disney and our director, Thea Sharrock.”

The 93rd Oscars will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2021, and will be televised live on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Disney Announces New Film Release Schedule for "Black Widow" and More

Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution Announces Updates to Summer Film Release Schedule

Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution announced new release details for a number of titles on Walt Disney Studios’ upcoming slate of films. The announcement updates rollout details for the forthcoming Disney live-action Cruella, Marvel Studios’ Black Widow and Disney and Pixar’s Luca, and also includes revised premiere dates for several other titles.

“Today’s announcement reflects our focus on providing consumer choice and serving the evolving preferences of audiences. By leveraging a flexible distribution strategy in a dynamic marketplace that is beginning to recover from the global pandemic, we will continue to employ the best options to deliver The Walt Disney Company’s unparalleled storytelling to fans and families around the world,” said Kareem Daniel, Chairman, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution.

Following the successful release of Raya and the Last Dragon, the highly anticipated live-action film Cruella and Marvel Studios’ long-awaited Black Widow will launch simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access in most Disney+ markets on Friday, May 28, 2021 and on Friday, July 9, 2021 respectively.

Similar to the launch of Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award®-nominated Soul that delighted Disney+ subscribers during the holidays, Disney and Pixar’s Luca will stream directly in homes worldwide exclusively on Disney+ beginning Friday, June 18, 2021, as a special offering to kick off the summer season. In international markets where Disney+ is not yet available, the film will be released theatrically, with premiere dates to be announced.

Theatrical release dates also shifted for several additional upcoming films. New release dates include:

•     Free Guy on August 13, 2021
•     Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on September 3, 2021
•     The King’s Man on December 22, 2021
•     Deep Water on January 14, 2022
•     Death on the Nile on February 11, 2022

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Nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards Have Been Announced

93RD OSCARS® NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED

Actor-producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas and singer, songwriter and actor Nick Jonas announced the 93rd Oscars® nominations Monday, March 15, 2021, live from London, via a global live stream on Oscar.com, Oscars.org, the Academy’s digital platforms, an international satellite feed and broadcast media.

Chopra Jonas and Jonas announced the nominees in 23 categories at 5:19 a.m. PT. For a complete list of nominees, visit the official Oscars website, www.oscar.com.

Academy members from each of the 17 branches vote to determine the nominees in their respective categories – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, etc. In the Animated Feature Film and International Feature Film categories, nominees are selected by a vote of multi-branch screening committees. All voting members are eligible to select the Best Picture nominees.

Active members of the Academy are eligible to vote for the winners in all 23 categories beginning Thursday, April 15, through Tuesday, April 20, 2021.

The 93rd Oscars will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2021, at Union Station Los Angeles and the Dolby® Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Nominations for the 2021 / 93rd Academy Awards:

Best motion picture of the year:

•     "The Father" David Parfitt, Jean-Louis Livi and Philippe Carcassonne, Producers
•     "Judas and the Black Messiah" Shaka King, Charles D. King and Ryan Coogler, Producers
•     "Mank" Ceán Chaffin, Eric Roth and Douglas Urbanski, Producers
•     "Minari" Christina Oh, Producer
•     "Nomadland" Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey and Chloé Zhao, Producers
•     "Promising Young Woman" Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell and Josey McNamara, Producers
•     "Sound of Metal" Bert Hamelinck and Sacha Ben Harroche, Producers
•     "The Trial of the Chicago 7" Marc Platt and Stuart Besser, Producers

Performance by an actor in a leading role:

    Riz Ahmed in "Sound of Metal"
    Chadwick Boseman in "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom"
    Anthony Hopkins in "The Father"
    Gary Oldman in "Mank"
    Steven Yeun in "Minari"

Performance by an actor in a supporting role:

    Sacha Baron Cohen in "The Trial of the Chicago 7"
    Daniel Kaluuya in "Judas and the Black Messiah"
    Leslie Odom, Jr. in "One Night in Miami..."
    Paul Raci in "Sound of Metal"
    Lakeith Stanfield in "Judas and the Black Messiah"

Performance by an actress in a leading role:

    Viola Davis in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"
    Andra Day in "The United States vs. Billie Holiday"
    Vanessa Kirby in "Pieces of a Woman"
    Frances McDormand in "Nomadland"
    Carey Mulligan in "Promising Young Woman"

Performance by an actress in a supporting role:

    Maria Bakalova in "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan"
    Glenn Close in "Hillbilly Elegy"
    Olivia Colman in "The Father"
    Amanda Seyfried in "Mank"
    Yuh-Jung Youn in "Minari"

Best animated feature film of the year:

    "Onward" Dan Scanlon and Kori Rae
    "Over the Moon" Glen Keane, Gennie Rim and Peilin Chou
    "A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon" Richard Phelan, Will Becher and Paul Kewley
    "Soul" Pete Docter and Dana Murray
    "Wolfwalkers" Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young and Stéphan Roelants

Achievement in cinematography:

    "Judas and the Black Messiah" Sean Bobbitt
    "Mank" Erik Messerschmidt
    "News of the World" Dariusz Wolski
    "Nomadland" Joshua James Richards
    "The Trial of the Chicago 7" Phedon Papamichael

Achievement in costume design:

    "Emma" Alexandra Byrne
    "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom" Ann Roth
    "Mank" Trish Summerville
    "Mulan" Bina Daigeler
    "Pinocchio" Massimo Cantini Parrini

Achievement in directing

    "Another Round" Thomas Vinterberg
    "Mank" David Fincher
    "Minari" Lee Isaac Chung
    "Nomadland" Chloé Zhao
    "Promising Young Woman" Emerald Fennell

Best documentary feature

    "Collective" Alexander Nanau and Bianca Oana
    "Crip Camp" Nicole Newnham, Jim LeBrecht and Sara Bolder
    "The Mole Agent" Maite Alberdi and Marcela Santibáñez
    "My Octopus Teacher" Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster
    "Time" Garrett Bradley, Lauren Domino and Kellen Quinn

Best documentary short subject

    "Colette" Anthony Giacchino and Alice Doyard
    "A Concerto Is a Conversation" Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
    "Do Not Split" Anders Hammer and Charlotte Cook
    "Hunger Ward" Skye Fitzgerald and Michael Scheuerman
    "A Love Song for Latasha" Sophia Nahli Allison and Janice Duncan

Achievement in film editing

    "The Father" Yorgos Lamprinos
    "Nomadland" Chloé Zhao
    "Promising Young Woman" Frédéric Thoraval
    "Sound of Metal" Mikkel E. G. Nielsen
    "The Trial of the Chicago 7" Alan Baumgarten

Best international feature film of the year

    "Another Round" Denmark
    "Better Days" Hong Kong
    "Collective" Romania
    "The Man Who Sold His Skin" Tunisia
    "Quo Vadis, Aida?" Bosnia and Herzegovina

Achievement in makeup and hairstyling

    "Emma" Marese Langan, Laura Allen and Claudia Stolze
    "Hillbilly Elegy" Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle and Patricia Dehaney
    "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom" Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson
    "Mank" Gigi Williams, Kimberley Spiteri and Colleen LaBaff
    "Pinocchio" Mark Coulier, Dalia Colli and Francesco Pegoretti

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

    "Da 5 Bloods" Terence Blanchard
    "Mank" Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
    "Minari" Emile Mosseri
    "News of the World" James Newton Howard
    "Soul" Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

    "Fight For You" from "Judas and the Black Messiah" Music by H.E.R. and Dernst Emile II; Lyric by H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas
    "Hear My Voice" from "The Trial of the Chicago 7" Music by Daniel Pemberton; Lyric by Daniel Pemberton and Celeste Waite
    "Husavik" from "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga" Music and Lyric by Savan Kotecha, Fat Max Gsus and Rickard Göransson
    "Io Sì (Seen)" from "The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se)" Music by Diane Warren; Lyric by Diane Warren and Laura Pausini
    "Speak Now" from "One Night in Miami..." Music and Lyric by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth

Achievement in production design

    "The Father" Production Design: Peter Francis; Set Decoration: Cathy Featherstone
    "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom" Production Design: Mark Ricker; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara and Diana Stoughton
    "Mank" Production Design: Donald Graham Burt; Set Decoration: Jan Pascale
    "News of the World" Production Design: David Crank; Set Decoration: Elizabeth Keenan
    "Tenet" Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Kathy Lucas

Best animated short film

    "Burrow" Madeline Sharafian and Michael Capbarat
    "Genius Loci" Adrien Mérigeau and Amaury Ovise
    "If Anything Happens I Love You" Will McCormack and Michael Govier
    "Opera" Erick Oh
    "Yes-People" Gísli Darri Halldórsson and Arnar Gunnarsson

Best live action short film

    "Feeling Through" Doug Roland and Susan Ruzenski
    "The Letter Room" Elvira Lind and Sofia Sondervan
    "The Present" Farah Nabulsi
    "Two Distant Strangers" Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe
    "White Eye" Tomer Shushan and Shira Hochman

Achievement in sound

    "Greyhound" Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman
    "Mank" Ren Klyce, Jeremy Molod, David Parker, Nathan Nance and Drew Kunin
    "News of the World" Oliver Tarney, Mike Prestwood Smith, William Miller and John Pritchett
    "Soul" Ren Klyce, Coya Elliott and David Parker
    "Sound of Metal" Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh

Achievement in visual effects

    "Love and Monsters" Matt Sloan, Genevieve Camilleri, Matt Everitt and Brian Cox
    "The Midnight Sky" Matthew Kasmir, Christopher Lawrence, Max Solomon and David Watkins
    "Mulan" Sean Faden, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury and Steve Ingram
    "The One and Only Ivan" Nick Davis, Greg Fisher, Ben Jones and Santiago Colomo Martinez
    "Tenet" Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher

Adapted screenplay:

•     "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Peter Baynham & Erica Rivinoja & Dan Mazer & Jena Friedman & Lee Kern; Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Nina Pedrad
•     "The Father" Screenplay by Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller
•     "Nomadland" Written for the screen by Chloé Zhao
•     "One Night in Miami..." Screenplay by Kemp Powers
•     "The White Tigers" Written for the screen by Ramin Bahrani

Original screenplay:

•     "Judas and the Black Messiah" Screenplay by Will Berson & Shaka King; Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas
•     "Minari" Written by Lee Isaac Chung
•     "Promising Young Woman" Written by Emerald Fennell
•     "Sound of Metal" Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder; Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance
•     "The Trial of the Chicago 7" Written by Aaron Sorkin

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NatGeo Rolls Out Spring 2021 Content with "Genius: Aretha" Sun., March 21st

National Geographic Announces Spring 2021 Content Rollout at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour

STORYTELLING THROUGH THE EYES OF …

PREMIERES INCLUDE
‘Genius: Aretha’ Premieres Sunday, March 21;

ADVENTURE NIGHT:
Returning Series ‘Running Wild with Bear Grylls’ and New Series ‘Race to the Center of the Earth’ Premiere Monday, March 29;

‘National Geographic Presents: IMPACT with Gal Gadot’ Digital Series Premieres April 19;

Disney+ Original Series ‘Secrets of the Whales’ Premieres Earth Day, April 22;

PERSONALITY NIGHT:
Returning Series ‘Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted’ and New Series ‘Breaking Bobby Bones’ Premiere Memorial Day

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Geographic President of Content Courteney Monroe unveiled the spring schedule of premieres for National Geographic’s premium science, adventure and exploration content at the Television Critics Association Virtual Winter Press Tour.

“In the wake of this extraordinary and unprecedented year, we remain focused at National Geographic on telling stories that remind us that beauty and wonder still exist in our world,” said Monroe. “From ‘IMPACT with Gal Gadot’ to ‘Secrets of The Whales’ and the return of ‘Uncharted with Gordon Ramsay,’ National Geographic transports audiences around the globe, inspiring a new generation of explorers and adventurers.”

Highlights of National Geographic Content’s new premieres include the highly anticipated March 21 debut of “Genius: Aretha” starring Cynthia Erivo as Aretha Franklin; March 29 premiere of a night of adventure with new series “Race to the Center of the Earth,” from “The Amazing Race” producers, paired with a new season of fan-favorite adventure series “Running Wild with Bear Grylls”; Memorial Day premiere of new personality-driven series “Breaking Bobby Bones” paired with a new season of “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted”; new digital doc shorts series “National Geographic Presents: IMPACT with Gal Gadot” dropping on April 19 across National Geographic digital and social platforms; and the Disney+ Earth Day premiere of the original series “Secrets of the Whales,” from executive producer James Cameron and featuring National Geographic Photographer Brian Skerry.

Full press releases and trailers for “Genius: Aretha,” “Running Wild with Bear Grylls,” “Race to the Center of the Earth,” “National Geographic Presents: IMPACT with Gal Gadot,” “Secrets of the Whales,” “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted,” “Breaking Bobby Bones” and “Red Summer” can be found at natgeotvpressroom.com.

National Geographic Content - NEW PREMIERE DATES (U.S. ONLY):

MARCH

OWN THE ROOM on Disney+ from National Geographic Documentary Films (NEW DOC)
Premieres Friday, March 12

Five students from disparate corners of the planet take their big ideas to Macau, China, host of one of the most prestigious entrepreneurship competitions in the world, the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards. Santosh is from a small farming town in Nepal; Alondra works the register at her family’s bakery in Puerto Rico; Henry is a programming wiz from Nairobi; Jason is a marketing machine from Greece; and Daniela is an immigrant escaping the crisis in Venezuela, taking on the chemical industry from her lab at NYU. They’ve each overcome immense obstacles in pursuit of their dreams, from hurricanes to poverty to civil unrest. Their ideas have already changed their own lives, but are they ready to change the world?

DR. OAKLEY, YUKON VET on Nat Geo WILD (Returning Series)
Premieres Saturday, March 13, 9/8c
All previous seasons of “Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet” are available to stream on Disney+

Every day is a unique challenge for Dr. Michelle Oakley, the only all-species vet for hundreds of miles across the Great North. Whether wrestling bison, tracking ibex in the mountains, performing surgery on a wolverine, or braving fierce landscapes to return moose calves to the wild, Dr. Oakley will do whatever it takes to keep the animals in her charge safe and healthy.

GENIUS: ARETHA on National Geographic (New Season of Anthology Series)

(Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, Clive Davis, 20th Television, MWM Studios and EUE/Sokolow)

Four-night Television Event Premieres Sunday, March 21 at 9/8c, with back-to-back episodes, available next day on Hulu

“Genius” is National Geographic's critically acclaimed anthology series that dramatizes the fascinating stories of the world’s most brilliant innovators, their extraordinary achievements and their volatile, passionate and complex personal relationships. This third season will explore Aretha Franklin’s musical genius and incomparable career, as well as the immeasurable impact and lasting influence she has had on music and culture around the world. Franklin was a gospel prodigy, an outspoken civil rights champion and is widely considered to be the greatest singer of the past 50 years, receiving countless honors throughout her career. Starring double-Oscar® nominee Cynthia Erivo as Aretha Franklin and Emmy®-award winning Courtney B. Vance as C.L. Franklin, “Genius: Aretha” will be the first-ever, definitive and only authorized scripted series on the life of the universally acclaimed Queen of Soul. Previous seasons, “Genius: Einstein” and “Genius: Picasso” are available to stream on Hulu.

RUNNING WILD WITH BEAR GRYLLS on National Geographic (Returning Series)
Premieres Monday, March 29 at 9/8c
The previous Nat Geo season of “Running Wild with Bear Grylls” is available to stream on Disney+

National Geographic is officially the new home of the wildly popular hit series “Running Wild with Bear Grylls.” In its second season on National Geographic, world-renowned survivalist Bear Grylls returns to the wilderness eager to push the mental and physical limits of a brand-new slate of celebrities in the hit adventure series “Running Wild with Bear Grylls.” Hollywood’s fan favorites come along for another adventurous ride to join Grylls in new challenges that make even the bravest shudder. Each week, a new celebrity guest leaves the luxury of their homes to venture into some of the most extreme environments in the world to conquer fears, test their limits and sometimes dabble in nature’s not-so-tasty delicacies. Continuing to push superstars’ comfort levels, this season Grylls travels the globe from the deserts of Utah to the Dolomites of Italy and the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California for more epic, life-changing adventures. This season’s celebrities include: Anthony Mackie (“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”), Bobby Bones (“Breaking Bobby Bones,” “American Idol”), Terry Crews (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Deadpool”), Gina Carano (“The Mandalorian”), Keegan-Michael Key (“Brain Games,” “Prom”), Danica Patrick (former professional racing driver), Danny Trejo (“Machete,” “Sons of Anarchy”) and Rainn Wilson (“The Office,” “Utopia”).

RACE TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH on National Geographic (New Series)
Premieres Monday, March 29 at 10/9c

The epic seven-part series, created by award-winning producers Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri, is an adrenaline-fueled global competition that pits four teams of three against one another in a nonstop sprint across the globe for a $1 million prize. “Race to the Center of the Earth” is an extreme non-elimination competition that follows four groups of adventurers, each starting from different corners of the earth, as they race to a buoy holding the grand prize. Racing from different corners of the planet — South America, Russia, Canada and Southeast Asia, the teams will face untamed jungles, frozen arctic, arid deserts, bustling cities, treacherous mountains and vast oceans to reach the location where all four routes intersect. The first team to arrive at the buoy claims it all. Embarking on the adventure of a lifetime, these adventurous teams, made up of friends and co-workers, are confident their bond is what will lead them to the finish line.

APRIL

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PRESENTS: IMPACT WITH GAL GADOT on National Geographic digital and social platforms (New Digital Series)
Premieres weekly beginning Monday, April 19

In the heart of some of the most difficult circumstances in the world, there exist beacons of hope. National Geographic Presents: IMPACT with Gal Gadot is a compelling new six-part short-form documentary series from executive producers Gal Gadot (“Wonder Woman”), Jaron Varsano (“Cleopatra”), Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth (“Freeheld”), Entertainment One’s (eOne) Tara Long (Emmy®-nominated “L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later”) and RPC’s Ryan Pallota, that follows the powerful stories of resilient young women around the globe who overcome obstacles and do extraordinary things.

SECRETS OF THE WHALES on Disney+ (New Series)
Four-Part Event Series Premieres Earth Day, April 22
(From executive producer James Cameron and featuring National Geographic Explorer and Photographer Brian Skerry)

Epic, revealing and emotional, that’s what you get when immersed in the secretive world of whales and see life and love from their perspectives. From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker and conservationist James Cameron, “Secrets of the Whales” plunges viewers deep within the epicenter of whale culture to experience the extraordinary communication skills and intricate social structures of five different whale species: orcas, humpbacks, belugas, narwhals and sperm whales. Featuring the expansive knowledge and skill of acclaimed National Geographic Explorer and Photographer Brian Skerry, the four-part Earth Day special-event series unveils new science and technology to spotlight whales as they make lifelong friendships, teach clan heritage and traditions to their young, and grieve deeply for the loss of loved ones. Filmed over three years in 24 global locations, throughout this epic journey, we learn that whales are far more complex and more like us than ever imagined. Narrated by award-winning actress and conservationist Sigourney Weaver (“Alien,” “Avatar,” “Gorillas in the Mist”), this is a personal story that very few are lucky enough to witness … until now.

In addition, National Geographic magazine’s May issue (available online at natgeo.com mid-April) will be a single topic Earth Day issue showcasing Skerry’s bold new photography. Skerry’s latest work will also be featured in the National Geographic book “Secrets of the Whales,” timed to the series (on sale April 6).

KINGDOM OF THE POLAR BEARS on Nat Geo WILD (New Special)
Two-hour Special Premieres Earth Day, April 22 at 8/7c

As the Arctic changes faster than ever, Dennis Compayre, a veteran polar bear guide, makes an epic first-time journey following his beloved bears through the brutal Canadian winter and onto the frozen waters of Hudson Bay. In this high-stakes, high-reward venture, the team documents the secret world of polar bears and the mysterious and disappearing kingdom of ice that sustains them. The winter hunting and birthing season is a critical time for these bears and is largely undocumented, deemed too difficult and dangerous for humans to follow … until now. The team, armed with traditional ecological knowledge and the latest 4K camera technology, witnesses never-before-seen seal-hunting strategies and documents rapid adaptations to climate change, including whale predation and open-water hunting.

MAY

CRITTER FIXERS: COUNTRY VETS on Nat Geo WILD (Returning Series)
Premieres Saturday, May 22, 9/8c
Season one of “Critter Fixers: Country Vets” is available to stream on Disney+

Dr. Hodges and Dr. Ferguson are two lifelong friends who own and operate Critter Fixer Veterinary Hospitals, located 100 miles south of Atlanta. Together with their loving staff, these physicians bring real heart, soul and a lot of humor to their treatment and care of more than 20,000 patients a year across their two locations. Between emergency visits to the office and farm calls throughout rural Georgia, this special team is constantly bombarded with unique cases. From adhering Tilapia scales to save an attacked dog to assembling a splint on a rare South American bird, for the Critter Fixer team, there is no such thing as “normal.”

GORDON RAMSAY: UNCHARTED New Episodes on National Geographic (Returning Series)
Eight-Part Third Season Premieres Monday, May 31 at 9/8c, Available Next Day on Disney+
Seasons one and two of “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted” are also available to stream on Disney+

Gordon Ramsay laces his boots, grabs his knives and buckles up as he hits the road to embark on exhilarating adventures, exploring world cultures through food in National Geographic’s “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted.” The multi-Michelin-star chef and Ironman athlete feasts his way around the globe – risking life and limb in daring missions – in pursuit of culinary inspiration and edible excellence. Under the guidance of local experts and food legends he meets along the way, Ramsay will partake in culinary customs, learn about delicious delicacies and taste fresh flavors unique to each region. In the upcoming third season, Ramsay goes off the grid and off recipe as he feasts his way through Texas, Portugal, Croatia, Puerto Rico, Iceland, Maine, the Smoky Mountains and Mexico.

BREAKING BOBBY BONES on National Geographic (New Series)
Premieres Monday, May 31 at 10/9c, with two back-to-back episodes, then moves to Sundays at 10/9c with two new episodes premiering each week

In each half-hour episode of “Breaking Bobby Bones,” Bobby Bones pursues his own mantra—Fight. Grind. Repeat.—by traveling to far-flung destinations across the country to find people with unique jobs, skills, hobbies and abilities. Upon arrival, he meets local everyday heroes who challenge him to conquer (or at least attempt) the tricks of their trades while exploring the triumphs and tragedies that made these heroes who they are today. Through their joint experiences, viewers come along for the ride learning what it’s like to become a tenacious stunt artist, kayak the Colorado River blindfolded and play para hockey on a sled. It’s an action-packed celebration of Americans who work hard, play hard and, above all, take pride in everything they do.

JUNE

RED SUMMER (w.t.) on National Geographic (New Documentary Film)
Premieres June 2021

National Geographic Documentary Films partners with acclaimed filmmaker Dawn Porter ("The Way I See It," "Good Trouble: John Lewis") and Trailblazer Studios on a documentary special that sheds new light on a century-old period of intense racial conflict. “Red Summer” (working title) comes 100 years on from the two-day Tulsa Massacre in 1921 that led to the murder of as many as 300 Black people and left as many as 10,000 homeless and displaced. The film will premiere in June on National Geographic, commemorating Juneteenth when the last Black slaves in the U.S. heard of their emancipation. Award-winning Washington Post journalist and Tulsa native DeNeen Brown is at the heart of the film, reporting on the search for mass graves in her hometown. Digging into the events that lead to one of the worst episodes of racial violence in America's history, Brown uncovers new insights into this early 20th century period known as the Red Summer. Brown is uniquely placed to explore today's new civil rights movement in the context of the Tulsa Massacre and the Red Summer. With inside access to family members of those killed, law enforcement, archeologists and historians, Brown makes sense of the science and the politics intertwined throughout the search for Tulsa's mass grave. Leaving no stone unturned, “Red Summer” also untangles the role the media played in covering events at the time in order to reveal the full extent of the nation's buried past.

AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS: ANIMAL EDITION on Nat Geo WILD (New Series)
Premieres Sunday, June 20 at 8/7c

“America’s Funniest Home Videos” has been a household staple since its inception, providing hilarious entertainment from some of the most happy coincidences and epic fails in television history. But there’s no question that animal videos featuring furry friends and scaly celebrities are the most entertaining yet. A spinoff of the ABC hit, “America’s Funniest Home Videos: Animal Edition” presents knee-slapping, tear-jerking animal humor to Nat Geo WILD!


About National Geographic Partners:
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 133 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

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First of Eight Episodes of "Genius: Aretha" Debuts Sun., March 21st

National Geographic and Double Oscar® Nominee Cynthia Erivo Reveal Highly Anticipated Premiere Date and New Trailer for the Emmy® Award-Winning Anthology Series, GENIUS: ARETHA

The Third Season of the Limited Series Starring Erivo as the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, and Courtney B. Vance as C.L. Franklin Will Premiere Double-Stacked Episodes Over Four Consecutive Nights, Beginning Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 9/8c With Episodes Available Next Day on Hulu

‘Chain of Fools’ Trailer is Here.

THE NETWORK’S PODCAST SERIES, THE MAKING OF, ALSO RELEASES BEHIND THE SCENES GENIUS: ARETHA THEMED EPISODE

‘The Making Of’ GENIUS: ARETHA, Episode 1 is Here.

GENIUS: ARETHA Hails From 20th Television and Imagine Television; Brian Grazer and Ron Howard Serve as Executive Producers Along With Pulitzer Prize-Winning Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks As Executive Producer and Showrunner and Emmy and Golden Globe Winner Anthony Hemingway As Executive Producer and Director

Legendary Hit Record-Producer Clive Davis and Atlantic Records Chairman and CEO Craig Kallman Also Serve as Executive Producers

WASHINGTON, D.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Geographic and Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet,” “The Color Purple”) revealed during the network’s TCA session the highly anticipated premiere date and official series trailer for the multiple Emmy award-winning anthology series, GENIUS: ARETHA. From 20th Television and Imagine Television, this new season will premiere in the U.S. on the channel with double-stacked episodes across four consecutive nights, beginning on Sunday, March 21, 2021, at 9/8c. The premiere episodes will be available the next day on Hulu, culminating in a celebration of Aretha Franklin’s birthday, with all eight episodes available to stream by Thursday, March 25, 2021.

Additionally, National Geographic’s ongoing podcast series THE MAKING OF released the first of three GENIUS: ARETHA themed episodes, which features in-depth interviews with individuals who are both in front of the camera and also those behind the scenes. The latest episode features GENIUS: ARETHA’s cinematographer Kevin McKnight, costume designer Jennifer Bryan and choreographer Dondraico Johnson. They discuss the process of recreating and honoring key and iconic moments in Aretha Franklin’s life that will be covered in GENIUS: ARETHA. THE MAKING OF podcast is hosted by the celebrated entertainment journalist Stacey Wilson Hunt and is available to stream on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher and other podcasting platforms.

GENIUS is National Geographic’s critically acclaimed anthology series that dramatizes the fascinating stories of the world’s most brilliant innovators and their extraordinary achievements with their volatile, passionate and complex personal relationships. This third season will explore Aretha Franklin’s musical genius and incomparable career, as well as the immeasurable impact and lasting influence she has had on music and culture around the world. Franklin was a gospel prodigy, an outspoken civil rights champion and widely considered the greatest singer of the past 50 years, receiving countless honors throughout her career. GENIUS: ARETHA will be the first-ever, definitive and only authorized scripted series on the life of the universally acclaimed Queen of Soul.

Without knowing how to read music, Franklin taught herself to play the piano; at the young age of 12, she began to record songs and sing on gospel tours with her father. She signed her first record deal at age 18 with Columbia Records. In 1966, she moved to Atlantic Records, where she recorded many of her most iconic songs. In 1979, she began a 40-year friendship and partnership with Clive Davis, which produced a number of hit songs, including the highest charting and bestselling song of her career, “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” a duet with George Michael. The legendary singer is one of the world’s bestselling musical artists of all time, with more than 75 million records sold globally during her career. Her voice was identified as a “natural resource” by her home state of Michigan.

The previously announced cast includes triple threat Tony®-, Emmy®- and GRAMMY® Award-winning Erivo as Aretha Franklin who will be performing many songs from Franklin’s rich catalogue; the Emmy-winning Courtney B. Vance (“The People V. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”) as Aretha’s father, C.L. Franklin; Malcolm Barrett (“Timeless,” “Preacher”) as Ted White, Franklin’s first husband and business manager; David Cross (“Mr. Show,” “Arrested Development”) as legendary music producer Jerry Wexler, who guided Franklin as she developed into a confident singer and commercial success; Patrice Covington (“The Color Purple”, “Ain’t Misbehavin’”) and Rebecca Naomi Jones (“Oklahoma!,” “The Big Sick”) portray Erma and Carolyn Franklin, respectively, as Aretha’s sisters and frequent background singers, who supported and collaborated with their famous sibling; Steven Norfleet (“Watchmen,” “Dynasty”) as older brother Cecil Franklin, who stepped in as Aretha’s manager following her divorce from Ted White; veteran actress Pauletta Washington (“Beloved,” “She’s Gotta Have It”) as Aretha’s nurturing and loving paternal grandmother, Rachel; Omar J. Dorsey (“Queen Sugar”) as James Cleveland; Marque Richardson (“Dear White People”) as King Curtis, Kimberly Hébert Gregory (“Vice Principals”) as Ruth Bowen; and introducing Shaian Jordan as young Aretha Franklin, aka Little Re.

EPISODES INCLUDE:

RESPECT
Sunday, March 21, at 9/8c
Desperate for a hit, Aretha travels to Muscle Shoals in 1967 to record her first album with Atlantic Records. After suffering the loss of her surrogate mother, Little Re braves her first solo in 1953, in her father’s, C.L. Franklin, church.

UNTIL THE REAL THING COMES ALONG
Sunday, March 21, at 10/9c
Struggling to find her sound, Aretha catches the attention of Jerry Wexler at Atlantic Records in 1966. Meanwhile, Little Re has her first touring experience on the Gospel Circuit in 1954 with C.L. Franklin and meets her idol, Clara Ward.

DO RIGHT WOMAN
Monday, March 22, at 9/8c
Aretha juggles her music career and her commitment to the civil rights movement, led by Martin Luther King Jr., in 1967 and 1968. Meanwhile, Little Re leaves behind her newborn child to return to the Gospel Circuit in 1955, meeting with music legends James Cleveland and Little Sammie Bryant.

UNFORGETTABLE
Monday, March 22, at 10/9c
Aretha is featured on the cover of Time Magazine in 1968, but she’s devastated when the article focuses on the scandalous details of her personal life. Barbara Franklin and Young C.L. Franklin struggle to establish themselves in Memphis in 1941, before Little Re is born.

YOUNG, GIFTED AND BLACK
Tuesday, March 23, at 9/8c
Aretha, inspired by Angela Davis and the Soledad Brothers, records her protest album “Young, Gifted and Black” in 1970. Despite Jerry Wexler’s uncertainty, the album is a success. Barbara Franklin makes a decision that has a devastating effect on Little Re in 1951.

AMAZING GRACE
Tuesday, March 23, at 10/9c
Aretha records her best-selling live Gospel album “Amazing Grace” in 1972 at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church, ignoring her sibling’s pleas to record instead at New Bethel with their father, C.L. Franklin. Little Re discovers that she’s pregnant with her second child, forcing her to leave school. While pregnant, she records her first album at New Bethel in 1956.

CHAIN OF FOOLS
Wednesday, March 24, at 9/8c
As the Queen of Soul enters the age of disco, Aretha will do anything to remain relevant—including stealing an opportunity from her sister Carolyn. She receives a GRAMMY nomination but is ultimately snubbed from winning the award. While at the ceremony, she meets with Arista founder Clive Davis. Meanwhile, Jerry Wexler leaves Atlantic Records, and he and Aretha part ways.

NO ONE SLEEPS
Wednesday, March 24, at 10/9c
Despite significant emotional losses, including a second divorce and the death of her father in 1984, Aretha pushes herself artistically and triumphs. She begins a successful career at Arista, with the help of Clive Davis, and in an unforgettable GRAMMY performance in 1998, she solidifies her eternal reign as the Queen of Soul.

The series will feature many of Franklin’s biggest recordings and hit songs from the comprehensive Warner Music catalogue, including “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You),” “Chain of Fools,” “Don’t Play That Song” and “Save Me.” In addition, the series will feature Franklin’s performances of “I Knew You Were Waiting for Me,” “Freeway of Love” and “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves.” Additionally, the third season of the acclaimed anthology series features a number of well-known personalities who crossed paths with Franklin, including Dinah Washington, King Curtis, Clara Ward, Art Tatum, Reverend James Cleveland, Sydney Pollack, Angela Davis, Martin Luther King Jr., Curtis Mayfield and George Michael.

The series is produced by 20th Television and Imagine Entertainment. Imagine has partnered with Warner Music Entertainment for this third season, which will again be executive produced by Imagine’s Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. Pulitzer Prize recipient, MacArthur “Genius” grant receiver and Tony Award winner Suzan-Lori Parks (“Topdog/Underdog”) is showrunner, executive producer and lead writer. Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA TV Award winner Anthony Hemingway (“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”) will also executive produce and serve as director.

Legendary hit-record producer Clive Davis and Atlantic Records chairman and CEO Craig Kallman are executive producers. Imagine’s Anna Culp also serves as executive producer, and Peter Afterman is producer. Returning executive producers include Francie Calfo (GENIUS: EINSTEIN, GENIUS: PICASSO, “Empire”), Ken Biller (GENIUS: EINSTEIN, GENIUS: PICASSO), Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane (MWM Studios), and Sam Sokolow (EUE/Sokolow).

For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com or our press site www.foxflash.com, or follow us on Twitter using @NGC_PR.


About National Geographic Partners LLC:
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 133 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

About Imagine Television Group:
Imagine Television Group is comprised of Imagine Television and Imagine Television Studios. Imagine Television was founded in 1986 by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard and is run by Imagine Television President Samie Kim Falvey. The company’s productions have been honored with 195 Emmy nominations and 30 Golden Globe nominations. Last year, the company formed Imagine Television Studios to produce and finance a slate of projects that currently includes the series “Why Women Kill” for CBS All Access from Marc Cherry; “Swagger” for Apple with Kevin Durant and Reggie Rock Bythewood; “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” for Hulu from The RZA and Alex Tse; and “68 Whiskey.” Imagine Television is also producing “Filthy Rich” with Tate Taylor for Fox. Current programming includes Fox’s award-winning series “Empire,” Netflix’s “Arrested Development” and Nat Geo’s Emmy®-winning GENIUS anthology series. Earlier productions include Fox’s Golden Globe- and Emmy®-winning Best Drama Series “24”; NBC’s Peabody Award-winning series “Friday Night Lights”; Fox’s Emmy®-winning Best Comedy “Arrested Development”; Fox’s “Shots Fired” and “Lie To Me”; WB’s “Felicity”; ABC’s “SportsNight”; and HBO’s “From the Earth to the Moon,” which won the Emmy® for Outstanding Mini-Series. Howard and Grazer began their collaboration in 1985 with the hit film comedies “Night Shift” and “Splash,” and continue to run Imagine as executive chairmen.

ABOUT 20TH TELEVISION:
A part of Disney Television Studios, 20th Television is one of the industry’s most prolific suppliers of entertainment programming, including the No 1. Series on all of broadcast, NBC’s THIS IS US from Dan Fogelman; Fox’s No. 1 drama, 9-1-1 and its spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star from Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear, its No. 1 comedy LAST MAN STANDING starring Tim Allen; Hulu’s recent smash hits SOLAR OPPOSITES from Justin Roiland and Mike McMahan and LOVE, VICTOR from Isaac Aptaker, Elizabeth Berger and Brian Tanen; FX’s No. 1 series AMERICAN HORROR STORY from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk; TBS’ No. 1 series AMERICAN DAD created by Mike Barker, Matt Weitzman and Seth MacFarlane; and the longest-running primetime scripted series in the history of television, THE SIMPSONS, in addition to dozens of others. 20th Television shows have amassed a collective 2000 Emmy nominations and 263 Emmy wins, as well as multiple Golden Globes, Humanitas Prizes and Peabody Awards. The studio’s landmark series from its 70 year library include such classics as BATMAN, M*A*S*H, GLEE, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, BONES, BOB’S BURGERS, EMPIRE, FAMILY GUY, 24, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, FUTURAMA, KING OF THE HILL, NEW GIRL and THE X-FILES.

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Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

"A Grammy Salute to the Sounds of Change" Salutes the Music of Social Change

"A GRAMMY® Salute To The Sounds Of Change," a New Two-hour Special, to Be Broadcast Wednesday, March 17, 2021, on CBS

THREE-TIME GRAMMY® AWARD WINNER COMMON SET TO HOST, WITH APPEARANCES AND PERFORMANCES BY YOLANDA ADAMS, LEON BRIDGES, ERIC CHURCH, D SMOKE, ANDRA DAY, SHEILA E., CYNTHIA ERIVO, EMILIO, EMILY, AND GLORIA ESTEFAN, JOHN FOGERTY, GAYLE KING, GLADYS KNIGHT, PATTI LABELLE, TERRACE MARTIN, BRAD PAISLEY, BILLY PORTER, LEANN RIMES, AND CHRIS STAPLETON

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Just three days after the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards®, the Recording Academy® and CBS will present a new two-hour special, "A GRAMMY® Salute To The Sounds Of Change,” spotlighting the iconic songs that inspired social change and left an everlasting imprint on history.

Featuring top contemporary musical artists, the special will be hosted by three-time GRAMMY award winner Common and include appearances by Yolanda Adams, Leon Bridges, Eric Church, D Smoke, Andra Day, Sheila E., Cynthia Erivo, Emily, Emilio, and Gloria Estefan, John Fogerty, Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, Terrace Martin, Brad Paisley, Billy Porter, LeAnn Rimes, and Chris Stapleton performing songs that have seen us through the darkest hours and greatest triumphs. Artists across genres will highlight the stories behind, and deliver personal interpretations of, the powerful music that inspired social justice and equality. Also, presenters from the worlds of entertainment, art and activism will look back at some of the most iconic GRAMMY ® performances and moments in history.

"A GRAMMY® Salute To The Sounds Of Change" will broadcast on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 (9:00–11:00 p.m., ET/PT) and will also be available via livestream and on-demand on Paramount+, ViacomCBS’ newest global streaming service.

"A GRAMMY® Salute To The Sounds Of Change" is produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment. Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay are executive producers. Chantel Sausedo and Rob Paine are producers. Adam Blackstone serves as the musical director.


ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY:
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards — music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.

For more information about the Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on Twitter, "like" Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy's social communities on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT:
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full-service television and film production company and has played an integral role in producing many of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. JCE has a multi-year overall agreement with ViacomCBS Cable Networks. On the theatrical film side, the company also has a first look on JCE’s film development projects which could include Viacom’s film entities such as Paramount Players. The award-winning and critically acclaimed television that JCE has produced includes miniseries—The New Edition Story and The Bobby Brown Story; scripted series—American Soul and Real Husbands of Hollywood; children’s series—Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices; award shows—BET Awards, Black Girls Rock!, BET Honors, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, BET Hip Hop Awards, ABFF Honors and Soul Train Awards; specials—John Lewis: Celebrating A Hero, Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration, Change Together: From The March On Washington To Today, Stand Up for Heroes, Dear Mama, Amanda Seales I Be Knowin’, Def Comedy Jam 25 and Leslie Jones: Time Machine; as well as competition/game shows—Sunday Best, Hip Hop Squares, Nashville Squares and Rhythm & Flow. Jesse Collins, founder and CEO of the company, is the executive producer of all programming. He is also a co-executive producer for the iconic GRAMMY Awards and executive producer of The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show. He will next executive produce The 93rd Annual Academy Awards in April 2021. Go to jessecollinsent.com for more information on the company.

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Disney+ Tops 100 Million Global Paid Subscriber Milestone

The Service is Available in 59 Countries around the World and Features an Impressive Collection of High-Quality Content from Disney’s Content Studios

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Disney+ has surpassed 100 million global paid subscribers in just 16 months since its launch, Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), announced today during the Company’s virtual Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

    “In fact, we set a target of 100+ new titles per year, and this includes Disney Animation, Disney Live Action, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. Our direct-to-consumer business is the Company’s top priority, and our robust pipeline of content will continue to fuel its growth.”

“The enormous success of Disney+ —which has now surpassed 100 million subscribers—has inspired us to be even more ambitious, and to significantly increase our investment in the development of high-quality content,” Mr. Chapek said. “In fact, we set a target of 100+ new titles per year, and this includes Disney Animation, Disney Live Action, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. Our direct-to-consumer business is the Company’s top priority, and our robust pipeline of content will continue to fuel its growth.”

Disney+ launched in the U.S. on November 12, 2019, and has rolled out rapidly across Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Latin America, and most recently, Singapore.


About Disney+:
Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, as well as the new general entertainment content brand in select International markets, Star. As part of Disney’s Media & Entertainment Distribution segment, Disney+ is available on most internet-connected devices and offers commercial-free programming with a variety of original feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series, and short-form content. Alongside unprecedented access to Disney’s incredible library of film and television entertainment, the service is also the exclusive streaming home for the latest releases from The Walt Disney Studios.

About The Walt Disney Company:
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes Disney Parks, Experiences and Products; Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution; and three content groups—Studios, General Entertainment and Sports—focused on developing and producing content for DTC, theatrical and linear platforms. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $65.4 billion in its Fiscal Year 2020.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements in this communication may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements may include our priorities, ambitions, planned investments, expansion expectations and other statements that are not historical in nature. These statements are made on the basis of management’s views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the time the statements are made. Management does not undertake any obligation to update these statements. Actual events may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences may result from actions taken by the Company, as well as from developments beyond the Company’s control, including changes in competitive conditions; consumer preferences; international, political, regulatory, health concern and military developments; and changes in domestic and global economic conditions that may affect our businesses generally. Additional factors are set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 3, 2020 under Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis,” Item 1, “Business,” and in subsequent reports.

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ViacomCBS Announces its Paramount+ Streaming Strategy and Programming Slate

ViacomCBS Unveils Comprehensive Streaming Strategy and Expansive Slate of Originals Headed to Paramount+

•     Paramount+ to feature massive content catalog of more than 30,000 episodes, 2,500 movie titles and over 1,000 live sporting events, plus around-the-clock news coverage
•         Select Paramount Pictures films to stream on Paramount+ following a short theatrical release, including A Quiet Place Part II, PAW PATROL: The Movie and Mission: Impossible 7
•         Over 50 original series to premiere on Paramount+ over next two years, including Halo, Frasier, Criminal Minds, iCarly, The Real World, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, shows from the Avatar, Yellowstone, Star Trek and SpongeBob SquarePants universes and more
•         Paramount+ to feature depth of content across key genres, including 7,000 episodes of kids’ content, 5,000 episodes of reality and 6,000 episodes of comedy
•         Marquee sporting leagues and events on the service include the NFL, Masters, PGA TOUR, NCAA, SEC, The PGA Championship, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, National Women’s Soccer League, Concacaf and more
•         News offerings available include renowned CBS News programs, new series such as 60 Minutes+, live streams of local affiliates in over 200 markets across the U.S. and the 24-hour streaming news service CBSN
•     Paramount+ to launch in the U.S. on March 4, 2021 with broad distribution and leading launch sponsors, including General Motors, Expedia and Procter & Gamble
•     Paramount+ will introduce two pricing tiers in the U.S.: A premium plan at $9.99 per month and an ad-supported base plan at $4.99 per month available in June
•     Paramount+ to debut in Latin America and Canada on March 4, 2021, the Nordics on March 25, 2021 and Australia later this year, capitalizing on ViacomCBS’ global production capabilities, infrastructure and reach with additional markets to be announced

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA) updated investors on its differentiated streaming strategy, which leverages the company’s strong product offerings across free, premium and pay segments with Pluto TV and SHOWTIME® OTT to create a linked ecosystem with the highly anticipated launch of Paramount+ on March 4, 2021. Paramount+ will feature a powerful combination of live sports, breaking news and a mountain of entertainment from ViacomCBS’ portfolio of world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel.

New details about Paramount+ were unveiled during the ViacomCBS Streaming Event presentation, including an expansive slate of over 50 exclusive original series across scripted dramas, kids and family, reality, comedy, music, sports, news and documentaries that are set to premiere on the service in the next two years, including 36 arriving in 2021. These originals will join a deep and growing content catalog of more than 30,000 episodes and 2,500 movie titles. In addition, pricing tiers, leading launch sponsors and international rollout plans were announced.

“In today’s entertainment landscape, ViacomCBS stands apart as the only media company to fully embrace every segment of the streaming universe across free, premium and pay,” said Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer, ViacomCBS. “The launch of Paramount+ supercharges our strategy with a broad pay service that will be home to everything consumers love, all in one place: live sports, breaking news and a mountain of entertainment, at scale. As we look ahead, ViacomCBS is ideally positioned to harness the full power of our assets and capabilities – from our world-class production studios and the value of our massive content library, to our global marketing platform and local relationships – to seize the global opportunity in streaming.”

Tom Ryan, President and Chief Executive Officer, ViacomCBS Streaming, said, “Built from an iconic portfolio of beloved consumer brands and iconic franchises like SpongeBob and Star Trek, Paramount+ is a compelling and differentiated streaming offering for all audiences. In combination with Pluto TV and SHOWTIME®, the service will further strengthen our robust linked streaming ecosystem, giving us a critical competitive advantage as we pursue our goal of reaching consumers across every platform, at every price point, with creativity, content and experiences that are second to none.”

Differentiated Content Strategy – Sports, News and Premium Entertainment, At Scale

The content strategy for Paramount+ is rooted in a commitment to telling great stories across every genre, including must-watch sports and news programming. The live and on-demand service will leverage the company’s biggest franchises and storied IP, including through premium originals and a deep library of shows and movies from some of the world’s greatest content creators, highlighting the hit-making power of ViacomCBS to deliver a truly unique offering with can’t-miss content and wide demographic appeal.

Paramount+ To Feature Robust Collection of Films

Select upcoming films from Paramount Pictures will have their streaming debut on Paramount+ immediately following a theatrical release window of 30-45 days, including: A Quiet Place Part II, PAW PATROL: The Movie and Mission: Impossible 7. Other key titles arriving on Paramount+ in 2022 following their theatrical runs, and in some cases after their pay TV debuts on EPIX, include: Snake Eyes, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Top Gun: Maverick, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Transformers 7, Dungeons and Dragons, Scream and more. Paramount Pictures’ recent titles will be available as well, from Dora and the Lost City of Gold and Sonic the Hedgehog to Bumblebee and Rocketman, all coming to Paramount+. These films will join the previously announced The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie: Sponge on the Run, which will be available on Paramount+ at launch.

Additionally, Paramount Pictures announced an agreement with EPIX to make thousands of movie titles from a wide variety of studios available to Paramount+ subscribers. Beginning late spring, the service will stream some of the most popular films and franchises of all time, including films from the James Bond and Hunger Games franchises to features like The Addams Family and The Avengers, among many others in a deal that will grow the service’s film library to over 2,500 titles.

And, following a theatrical release by MGM and an exclusive pay television window with EPIX, MGM’s new movies will become available on Paramount+, including House of Gucci, Creed III and the highly anticipated new James Bond film, No Time to Die.

The company also outlined plans to ramp up production of movies made exclusively for Paramount+. The first of these feature-length films offered will include new versions of Paranormal Activity and Pet Sematary as well as an original supernatural story, The In Between, featuring Joey King, the star of the smash hit, The Kissing Booth. These titles produced by Paramount Players will join a collection of exclusive original movie premieres supplied by the broader portfolio of ViacomCBS studios.

Expansive Slate of Upcoming Paramount+ Original Series

Today’s virtual presentation previewed an extensive new slate of original content for Paramount+, ranging from gripping dramas and unscripted series to franchise expansions and brand-new animated titles.

Scripted Dramas

With brilliant creators, top talent and smart execution, ViacomCBS has been the creative force behind countless award-winning scripted drama series. This incredible collection will come together as a key pillar of the Paramount+ content library, with new additions of exclusive originals and exciting new takes on iconic franchises outlined as follows:

•     Criminal Minds – top rated series in broadcast and streaming returns with a new scripted series that brings the team back together to investigate a single, fascinating case over 10 episodes.
•     Flashdance – a young woman struggles to make her mark in the ballet world while navigating romance, money, art, friendship, and how to love herself. Award-winning Mad Men writer Tracy McMillan is writing and executive producing the drama series which will pick up from where the story left off, but in present-day. True Blood’s Angela Robinson will direct and executive produce the series with Lynda Obst.
•     Halo – based on the iconic Xbox® franchise, Halo’s epic universe and cast of characters come to life in this new original drama series. In the new television adaptation, Halo will take place in the universe that first came to be in 2001, dramatizing an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant. Halo will weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future.
•     Land Man – set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, Land Man is a modern-day tale of fortune seeking in the world of oil rigs. The series is an upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics.
•     Love Story – Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, the executive producers of Gossip Girl, The O.C. and Looking for Alaska, are bringing to Paramount+ a series based on the award-winning perennial film, Love Story.
•     Mayor of Kingstown – follows the McLusky family, power brokers in Kingstown, Michigan, where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry. Tackling themes of systemic racism, corruption and inequality, the series provides a stark look at their attempt to bring order and justice to a town that has neither.
•     Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – the next installment of the popular Star Trek franchise is based on the years Captain Christopher Pike manned the helm of the U.S.S. Enterprise. The series will follow Captain Pike, Science Officer Spock and Number One in the decade before Captain Kirk boarded the U.S.S. Enterprise.
•     The Italian Job – when the grandchildren of the legendary Charlie Croker inherit his old safety deposit box, the quest for the infamous Italian bullion is reignited. The series, from Paramount Television Studios, is executive produced and written by Matt Wheeler (Hawaii Five-0), and produced by Donald De Line.
•     The Man Who Fell To Earth – starring Oscar-nominee and BAFTA-winner Chiwetel Ejiofor, is based on the Walter Tevis novel of the same name and the iconic film starring David Bowie. The series will follow a new alien character who arrives on Earth at a turning point in human evolution, and must confront his own past to determine our future.
•     The Offer – a scripted limited event series from Paramount Television Studios, based on Oscar-winning producer Al Ruddy’s extraordinary, never-revealed experiences of making The Godfather. The 10-episode event series is written and executive produced by Michael Tolkin (Escape at Dannemora, The Player). Ruddy will also serve as executive producer, alongside showrunner Nikki Toscano (Hunters), and Emmy® Award-winning producer Leslie Greif (Hatfields & McCoys).
•     The Parallax View – a scripted series from Paramount Television Studios, based on the iconic film. The series will be executive produced by Paula Wagner.
•     Y:1883 – follows the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America. It is a stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one.
•     Yellowstone Spinoff, 6666 (Working Title) – founded when Comanches still ruled West Texas, no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666. Still operating as it did two centuries before, and encompassing an entire county, the 6666 is where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing… The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavor to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world class cowboys are born and made.

Kids and Family

Home to some of the biggest franchises in the world, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and PAW Patrol, the kids’ portfolio is fueled by Nickelodeon’s library of nearly 7,000 hit episodes, plus a string of all-new originals based on the most beloved characters in the brand’s history, such as:

•     Avatar – Nickelodeon’s new animation studio division dedicated entirely to creating content based on the wildly popular world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. Led by the series’ original creators Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, in partnership with the Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Avatar Studios will produce for Paramount+ a wide-range of Avatar-inspired content, ranging from spinoffs and theatricals to short form.
•     Dora the Explorer – a new live-action series based on the iconic character, designed for an older audience of kids 6-11 and their families.
•     iCarly – a new chapter for the most successful kids’ sitcom of all time, where original cast members Miranda Cosgrove, Nathan Kress and Jerry Trainor join new friends for a look at these characters’ present-day lives, adventures and comedic mishaps.
•     Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years – the first-ever spinoff of SpongeBob SquarePants, Kamp Koral is a CG animated original series that takes viewers back to when the iconic characters of Bikini Bottom met for the very first time, in a summer camp like no other.
•     Rugrats – an all-new series featuring Nick’s iconic babies, back together with the original voice cast in new CG animation.
•     Star Trek: Prodigy – the first-ever Star Trek for the kids and family audience, combining the Nickelodeon sensibility with the action and adventure hallmarks of the Star Trek franchise.
•     The Fairly OddParents – a live-action take on one of Nick’s longest running and most successful animated hits.

This Nickelodeon-created slate joins Paramount+’s previously announced original kids’ series such as WildBrain’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Boat Rocker’s new Danger Mouse and new editions of Lassie, George of the Jungle and Mr. Magoo from DreamWorks Animation’s Classic Media.

Reality

A genre created by MTV in 1992, reality TV is one of the most popular forms of content today. It reigns at the top of broadcast and cable ratings around the globe and in streaming, it’s the fastest growing vertical. ViacomCBS leads the reality category with over 5,000 episodes of the biggest reality hits, with plans to expand its collection with the following original and reprisals:

•     Big Brother Live Feeds – offers an in-depth, exclusive pass to the show where fans have the opportunity to watch all the action inside the Big Brother house.
•     Dating Naked – the most vulnerable social experiment returns to bring dating back to its most honest, unguarded and naked form. Can these modern daters strip back their preconceived notions, carefully curated images AND their clothes to reveal their true selves and find love?
•     Ink Master – the tattoo competition reality series where some of the nation’s top tattoo artists battle it out in various tattoo challenges that not only test the artists’ technical skills, but also their on-the-spot creativity for the title of Ink Master.
•     Love Island on Paramount+ – an extension of the popular CBS reality series that takes subscribers beyond the boundaries of what’s shown in the broadcast with exclusive content and live visits to the Villa.
•     Queen of the Universe – in a singing competition like no other, drag queens from all around the world compete to see who is Queen of the Universe. High heels, high octaves, high competition - this drag queen singing competition will blow your wig off. From Emmy® Award-winning production company, World of Wonder.
•     Road Rules – back with a new roster of Road Warriors. These strangers will be abandoned in a far-flung location and stripped of their modern-day luxuries by boarding a restricted life in an RV, traveling from location to location. They will be guided by a set of clues, odd jobs and missions for money. If they last to the end of the trip, they walk away with the life changing prize.
•     RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars – the best of the best from the Emmy® Award-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race return to compete for $100,000 and a coveted spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame. In each episode, legendary queens will battle it out until only one drag queen is crowned the winner.
•     The Challenge: All Stars – twenty-two of the most iconic, boldest, and fiercest Challenge All Stars from the original Real World and Road Rules have been selected to return for a second chance at the ultimate competition. All have history, but when relationships are the key to survival, will these legends be able to form new bonds or will their past lead to their demise? With $500,0000 and their legacies on the line, which of these All Stars will prove they are still the best of the best?
•     The Real World: Homecoming: New York – almost 30 years later, the original “seven strangers” that paved the way for modern reality TV are moving back into the New York loft where it all began. Viewers will be reunited with the cast from the very first season of The Real World in a brand new multi-episode docuseries to find out, once again, what happens when they stop being polite… and start getting real. Series begins streaming on Thursday, March 4th.

Comedy

When it comes to beloved IP and iconic comedic franchises, Paramount+ delivers with a rich library of over 6,000 episodes in the genre alone. Joining this massive catalog of comedy titles, exclusive series arriving soon include:

•     Frasier – Frasier’s back – and he’s more exactly the same than ever. Kelsey Grammer reprises his role as the Dr. Frasier Crane.
•     Grease: The Rise of the Pink Ladies – with both classic and new songs, and a diverse cast, the series is a prequel to the unforgettable musical film, Grease, and tells the story of how Frenchy’s older sister, Jane, founded the Pink Ladies. The series, from Paramount Television Studios, is executive produced by Annabel Oakes (Atypical, Transparent), Marty Bowen (Twilight) and Erik Feig (La La Land).
•     Guilty Party – a dark comedy starring Kate Beckinsale as a discredited journalist who finds herself in over her head when she latches onto the story of a young mother sentenced to life in jail for murdering her husband – a crime she claims she didn’t commit.
•     Inside Amy Schumer – the Peabody, Emmy® and Writers Guild Award-winning franchise returns with five specials starring Amy Schumer, one of the entertainment industry’s leading forces as a stand-up comedian, actress, writer, producer and director.
•     Reno 911! The Hunt For QAnon – a super-sized event based off the long-running hit, critically-acclaimed Comedy Central series. Most recently, Reno 911! received two 2020 Emmy® Award nominations for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series and for Outstanding Actress in A Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (Kerri Kenney-Silver). In 2021, the show is nominated for a Critics Choice Award.
•     The Game – the popular BET sitcom returns with a mix of original cast and new players, and will offer a modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of pro football.
•     The Harper House – an animated family comedy that follows an overconfident female head of a household as she struggles to regain a higher status for herself and for her family of oddballs after losing her job and moving from the rich side to the poor side of an Arkansas small town.
•     The Weekly Show with Trevor Noah (Working Title) – Trevor Noah will star in and produce an initial six episode series looking at stories across the societal landscape and talk with the people behind the headlines: people you know; people you don’t know; and people you didn’t even know you didn’t know.
•     Younger – Darren Star’s critically acclaimed smash-hit, Younger, follows Liza Miller (Sutton Foster), a talented editor navigating the highly competitive world of publishing — while juggling the complications of mixing business with pleasure and facing the lie she created about her age to land her dream job.

Additionally, exclusive original comedy movies that will reignite franchises for new and nostalgia-driven fans alike are expected to arrive on Paramount+ in year one:

•     Untitled Beavis & Butt-head Movie – Emmy® Award-winning Mike Judge reimagines MTV’s seminal, Gen X-defining Beavis and Butt-Head who return for another movie adventure to kick-off the new series.
•     Workaholics Movie – made-for-streaming movie based off the popular long-running Comedy Central series starring Blake Anderson, Adam DeVine, Anders Holm and Kyle Newacheck.

Music

For almost 40 years, MTV has chronicled the world of music through the eyes of the most important artists — telling the stories that only MTV can, because MTV was there. And now, on Paramount+, MTV is unlocking its treasured vault to bring new and exclusive series like:

•     Behind the Music – Behind the Music is back! The groundbreaking and prolific music documentary series returns with several new episodes and the best of the vault remastered and updated for today’s audiences with artist interviews, a creative refresh and reimagined visual style.
•     From Cradle to Stage – this new six-part, unscripted television series from Director Dave Grohl was inspired by his mother, Virginia Hanlon Grohl, and based on her critically-acclaimed book, From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars. The series is a dynamic personal exploration of the special relationship between successful musicians and their moms. Each episode features a famous performer and their mom as well as Dave and Virginia.
•     Unplugged – MTV’s most iconic musical performance franchise will come to Paramount+ several times a year as special intimate MTV Unplugged events featuring some of the world’s biggest artists.
•     Yo! MTV Raps – MTV is bringing back its most storied hip-hop series and music franchise Yo! MTV Raps for Paramount+. The return of Yo! MTV Raps will include hosted segments, live performances, cyphers and lifestyle content, and will serve as a comprehensive deep dive into the current state of hip-hop. After its debut 33 years ago on August 6, 1988, Yo! MTV Raps became the premiere destination for all things hip-hop. The advent of the series was crucial to the rise of rap music worldwide, creating a global passion for the genre and greater hip-hop culture, which has since become the most dominant force in mainstream music and pop culture worldwide.

CBS All Access Originals to Continue as Paramount+ Originals

In addition to the forthcoming titles produced exclusively for Paramount+, the award-winning CBS All Access originals will rebrand to Paramount+ originals and continue to super-serve fans of:

•     No Activity – a half-hour police comedy, starring Patrick Brammall and Tim Meadows, which was previously a live-action series, will be completely animated for season four.
•     Star Trek: Discovery – the series, starring Sonequa Martin-Green, follows the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new life forms, and one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself.
•     Star Trek: Lower Decks – a half-hour animated comedy series, focuses on the support crew on one of Starfleet’s least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, in 2380. Ensigns Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford and Tendi have to keep up with their duties and their social lives, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.
•     Star Trek: Picard – features Patrick Stewart reprising his iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard, which he played for seven seasons on Star Trek: The Next Generation. The series follows this iconic character into the next chapter of his life.
•     Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News – a daily news satire series featuring a cast of animated characters, led by anchor James Smartwood, lampooning real-world news stories and interviewing live-action guests.
•     The Good Fight – the critically acclaimed drama starring Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart follows her next chapter at one of Chicago’s preeminent African-American law firms. The wide-ranging topicality of the series captures the current sociopolitical era as the firm confronts real life issues of today.
•     Why Women Kill – a dark comedy created by Marc Cherry, is an anthology series that examines how the roles of women have changed over the decades, but how their reaction to betrayal... has not.

Sports

In bringing everything sports fans love on CBS to Paramount+, the service will feature over 1,000 live sporting events per year, including regular season games, playoffs, championships and more across the following marquee properties:

•     THE NFL ON CBS
•     The Masters
•     NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship
•     PGA TOUR
•     SEC ON CBS
•     The PGA Championship
•     National Women’s Soccer League
•     UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League – Paramount+ is the only place in the U.S. where soccer fans can find exclusive English-language coverage of every UEFA club competition match, every season.

In addition, Paramount+ is expanding its exclusive English-language rights in the U.S. with three more soccer properties, featuring hundreds of additional matches.

•     Concacaf – offering more than 200 Concacaf matches, starting with the Concacaf Nations League Finals in June of this year, which will feature the U.S. Men’s National Team. Coverage will feature all 41 national teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean across different competitions, including the qualifiers for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, which will feature the defending champion U.S. Women’s National Team.
•     Liga Profesional de Fútbol – Paramount+ will stream more than 300 matches a year from Argentina’s top soccer division.
•     Campeonato Brasileiro Série A – Paramount+ will stream more than 360 matches a year from Brazil’s premier soccer league.

The service will also be the exclusive home of a long-running, Emmy® Award-winning original series Inside the NFL, which takes fans even deeper into the game and the passion of the NFL all season long. And knowing fans don’t stop watching when the players stop playing, Paramount+ will feature the 24/7 streaming sports news service, CBS Sports HQ.

News

With breaking news and impactful journalism, the award-winning CBS News team will offer Paramount+ subscribers deep insights into the world through best-in-class reporting. News offerings will include renowned CBS News programs, new series such as 60 Minutes+, live streams of local affiliates in over 200 markets across the U.S., and the 24-hour streaming news service CBSN.

In addition to news programs audiences already know and love, Paramount+ will be home to brand-new titles based on CBS News’ premier franchises, including:

•     60 Minutes+ – a compelling new version of the renowned newsmagazine and number one news program in America. Award-winning correspondents Enrique Acevedo, Seth Doane, Wes Lowery and Laurie Segall bring Paramount+ viewers a new perspective on the investigative reporting and exclusive newsmaker interviews that have made 60 Minutes must-watch television for generations.
•     48 Hours original: The Lie Detector – a Texas Ranger who for decades led the department’s investigations into its most twisted and high profile murder cases takes viewers behind the scenes of those crimes and into the minds of the people who committed them. The Lie Detector is a true crime docuseries from the Emmy® and Peabody Award-winning producers of 48 Hours in a new and compelling original format exclusively for Paramount+.

Documentaries

ViacomCBS is a definitive leader in storytelling, and audiences are increasingly hungry for shows that document history, from the distant past to history that’s being made today. Driven by these insights, Paramount+ is partnering with some of the world’s best filmmakers to debut an incredible slate of gripping, powerful and relevant documentaries, including the following from CBS News, CBSN, CBS Sports, MTV Documentary Films and the Smithsonian Channel:

•     76 Days – a look at life in the earliest days of the COVID-19 crisis in Wuhan, China, the Oscar Shortlisted 76 Days focuses on frontline hospital workers and their patients, bearing witness to the human resilience that persists in times of profound tragedy.
•     Black Gold – from Oscar-nominated director Darren Aronofsky's Protozoa and Emmy® Award-winning Time Studios, this is a true-life conspiracy thriller about a decades-long campaign to trade our planet for profit.
•     For Heaven’s Sake – blends comedy and crime documentary formats for a unique take on uncovering the truth. The series follows the search for Harold Heaven, who mysteriously disappeared from his remote cabin in Ontario, Canada, in the winter of 1934.
•     The Real Criminal Minds – a true crime docu series, featuring a former real FBI profiler. The series will examine real cases, and real criminal behavior, illustrated by clips fans will remember from the fictional series.
•     Watergate – from MTV Entertainment Studios, this series will illuminate a moment in our history that parallels so much of what’s happening now.
•     Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In – tells the story of the legendary manager of Manchester United, and one of the most memorable figures in European football.
•     Stories from the Beautiful Game – an original soccer documentary series produced by Pete Radovich, the award-winning coordinating producer of CBS Sports’ UEFA coverage. Paramount+ will release several soccer documentaries every year, starting later in 2021.

In addition to long-lead productions, ViacomCBS will also produce exclusive Insta Docs for Paramount+. These instant documentaries will be released within days of breaking news and will dive deeper into events that capture the attention of the nation.

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Paramount+ Pricing Tiers

Paramount+ will have two pricing tiers available to U.S. subscribers that marry the best of live and on-demand programming.

The premium tier, at $9.99, will be available with the full depth and breadth of live sports, around-the-clock news programming and world-class entertainment spanning Paramount+ originals to an expansive suite of current and library shows and movies. The offering will include CBS’ live linear feed and commercial-free on demand viewing, with 4k, HDR and Dolby Vision, mobile downloads and cross-platform dynamic play functionality.

An ad-supported tier will launch in June for $4.99 and offer the best in sports, news and entertainment. At that time, the current $5.99 plan will no longer be available for new users, but existing users will maintain grandfathered access. The ad-supported tier will feature a compelling offering of exciting Paramount+ originals, marquee sports content including live championship-level soccer and live NFL games, breaking news through CBSN and an extraordinary collection of content, including the full suite of current and library CBS shows available on demand.

Both Paramount+ tiers will feature a seamless user interface, enhanced curation and discovery, personalized homepages, content categories and central hubs for ViacomCBS’ brands. Additionally, each subscription option will include parental control capabilities and up to six individual profiles.

Broad Distribution

At launch, Paramount+ will be available online at ParamountPlus.com, via the Paramount+ app for iOS and Android, and across a wide number of platforms, including smart TVs, connected-TV devices, online, mobile, gaming consoles, and leading OTT providers.

Launch Sponsors

ViacomCBS is proud to present General Motors, Expedia and Procter & Gamble among a select group of leading launch sponsors for Paramount+ in the U.S. Through marketing integrations, custom activations and ViacomCBS’ suite of ad capabilities, these advertisers will have unparalleled access to leading brands, popular IP and premium digital video to deliver significant reach and impact across ViacomCBS’ highly engaged and diverse audiences.

International Rollout

Paramount+ will debut internationally in 18 Latin American countries and Canada on March 4, 2021, the Nordics on March 25, 2021 and Australia with a rebrand and expansion of 10 All Access later this year, with additional markets to follow.

With production capabilities across five continents, strong distribution agreements and local relationships and expertise around the world, Paramount+ will leverage ViacomCBS’ leading global reach – including the largest global broadcast footprint – to drive streaming growth and international expansion. ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI) will build on its momentum in prized formats, and as one of the top global producers of Spanish-language content, to bring exclusive series to market for fans of kids and family, scripted dramas, reality and more.

In select international markets, Paramount+ will offer audiences exclusive originals that include The Man Who Fell to Earth, Mayor of Kingstown, Guilty Party, Halo and The Offer, among others, an expansive content library of over 5,000 hours of iconic ViacomCBS IP and hit franchises across genres and a premium user experience. For most international subscribers, Paramount+ will also be the home to SHOWTIME® and feature celebrated series Dexter, Ray Donovan, The Affair, Your Honor, The Comey Rule and Escape at Dannemora. And importantly, like in the U.S., internationally Paramount+ will offer some of the biggest kids franchises in the world, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dora the Explorer and PAW Patrol – in addition to the highly anticipated Kamp Koral and Nickelodeon Animation Studio’s The Astronauts.

Premieres of prized formats including some of MTV’s biggest global reality franchises – such as Acapulco Shore and Are You The One?: Brazil in Latin America, as well as Story of Songs in the Nordics, and a deep catalogue of the best reality hits such as Jersey Shore, Ex on the Beach, Catfish and more – will be available in Latin America, the Nordics and Australia.

And, through ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS), a division of ViacomCBS Networks International, top creators from around the world will also debut premium local scripted dramas on the service. For example, in Latin America, the service will debut:

•     The Envoys – a supernatural thriller co-produced with Academy Award-winning director and screenwriter, Juan José Campanella.
•     Cecilia – a female-led dramedy from renowned Argentine writer and director Daniel Burman and starring acclaimed Mexican actress Mariana Treviño.

Subscription pricing will vary slightly by market, but Paramount+ will be available to international audiences at a compelling price point.

Internationally, Paramount+ will be available online at ParamountPlus.com, via the Paramount+ app for iOS and Android, and across a number of connected TV devices and OTT platforms. The service will also have broad distribution on major platforms in international markets, including Claro Video, Mercado Libre, Izzi & Claro Brazil in Latin America, and Nuuday, Telenor and Allente in the Nordics.

About ViacomCBS:
ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, its portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, CBS All Access, Pluto TV and Simon & Schuster, among others. The company delivers the largest share of the U.S. television audience and boasts one of the industry’s most important and extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions for partners on five continents.

For more information about ViacomCBS, please visit www.viacomcbs.com and follow @ViacomCBS on social platforms.

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