Journey Through the Planet’s Most Extreme Environments in National Geographic’s New Series “Pole to Pole with Will Smith” [VIDEO]

This January, Will Smith takes audiences on the ultimate journey of discovery in the new National Geographic original series POLE TO POLE WITH WILL SMITH. The seven-part docuseries premieres January 13 on National Geographic worldwide and streams next day on Disney+ globally and Hulu in the U.S. Five years in the making, the series follows Will across all seven continents, taking him from the icefields of Antarctica to the jungles of the Amazon, the mountains of the Himalayas, the deserts of Africa, the islands of the Pacific and the icebergs of the Arctic.

Inspired by his late mentor to explore life’s big questions, Will throws himself into incredible challenges for 100 days: skiing to the South Pole, catching a giant anaconda, milking a venomous tarantula, climbing mountains, and diving under the ice of the North Pole. He will venture from pole to pole in the company of scientists, explorers, and local experts.

Told with a cinematic scale, access, and authenticity only National Geographic can deliver, this once-in-a-lifetime adventure blends cutting-edge science, environmental storytelling, and bold exploration. Guided by experts, scientists, and explorers, Will helps make world-first scientific discoveries and forges profound human connections – from the Amazon’s Waorani community to the Kalahari’s San people,whose knowledge and resilience offer powerful lessons about our future on the planet. POLE TO POLE WITH WILL SMITH is an epic global undertaking defined by endurance, wonder, and hope.

“This journey was unlike anything I’ve ever done – at times I feared I might not make it home! It’s an exploration not just of the planet’s edges, but of some of the most extraordinary people living there,” said Smith. “From the coldest ice to the deepest jungles, the beauty of our world inspired my every step with awe and hope.”

“With POLE TO POLE WITH WILL SMITH, we’re inviting audiences to see our planet through Will’s eyes – with all the wonder, humor, and humanity he brings to every experience,” said Tom McDonald, EVP, Content, National Geographic. “It’s a thrilling adventure that embodies what National Geographic does best: combining jaw-dropping cinematography, powerful storytelling, and a deeper understanding of how our world works – and why it matters.”

Episodes include the following:

“The South Pole” premieres January 13 @ 9PM/8c on National Geographic and streams the next day on Disney+ and Hulu

Will heads to the South Pole, where temperatures can drop below minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit. He skis and treks across giant icefields, and, faced with a giant cliff of ice in bone-chilling winds, struggles to climb to the top. Only with the support of one of the world’s best polar athletes, Richard Parks, does he succeed. In one of the planet’s most isolated research stations, scientists take ice cores deep under the surface and make incredible sacrifices to pursue their research.

“The Amazon: Deadly Creatures” premieres January 13 @ 10PM/9c on National Geographic and streams next day on Disney+ and Hulu

Will, a man scared of spiders his whole life, ventures deep into the Ecuadorian Amazon on an expedition in search of deadly creatures. Joined by professor Bryan Fry and local mountaineer Carla Perez, they abseil 200 feet into a cave network known as the “womb of the Earth,” where they discover a giant tarantula. Using cutting-edge techniques, they extract its venom, which could hold the key to saving millions of lives.

“The Amazon: Dark Waters” premieres January 20 @ 9PM/8c on National Geographic and streams January 14 on Disney+ and Hulu

Will, Bryan and Carla join local Waorani elder Penti Baihua in the Amazon, in search of the world’s biggest snake: the giant green anaconda. They carefully remove just one scale from the 17-foot snake’s skin. Will’s fear turns into relief, then joy. The single scale can reveal the health of the entire ecosystem – crucial for the future of both wildlife and the Waorani.

“The Himalayas” premieres January 20 @ 10PM/9c on National Geographic and streams January 14 on Disney+ and Hulu

Will travels to the kingdom of Bhutan on a deeply intimate journey in search of the secret to happiness. Guided by happiness expert professor Dacher Keltner and local writer Tshering Denkar, Will treks to one of the highest and happiest villages in the Himalayas, at 13,000-foot altitude. While there, he confronts some of the most challenging moments of his extraordinary life and career.

“The Pacific Islands” premieres January 27 @ 9PM/8c on National Geographic and streams January 14 on Disney+ and Hulu

Joined by linguist Dr. Mary Walworth and local marine ecologist John Aini, Will travels to the South Pacific on an expedition to a remote island threatened by rising seas. What begins as an exploration into an incredible marine paradise transforms into a truly revelatory journey for Will about his own history as they record a lost language spoken by only five people.

“The Kalahari Desert” premieres January 27 @ 10PM/9c on National Geographic and streams January 14 on Disney+ and Hulu

Will travels deep into the Kalahari Desert to meet the San people, one of the oldest hunter-gatherer groups on Earth. To discover the secret to their enduring success, he must join them on a hunt in one of the most inhospitable places on the planet. Led by local San bushman guide Kane Motswana, it’s not long before he realizes he’s entirely unsuited to this adventure.

“The North Pole” premieres February 3 @ 9PM/8c on National Geographic and streams January 14 on Disney+ and Hulu

The final leg of Will’s 100-day adventure is his most dangerous mission yet: an expedition to dive under the ice at the North Pole to help polar ecologist Allison Fong capture world-first scientific samples. But when a snowstorm and mechanical failure put the mission in crisis, Will learns what it takes to be a hero in real life.

POLE TO POLE WITH WILL SMITH is produced by Westbrook Studios, Nutopia, and Protozoa for National Geographic. Will Smith is host and executive producer. Westbrook, Terence Carter, and Miguel Melendez are executive producers. For Nutopia, Jane Root and Peter Lovering are executive producers, and Tom Williams is co-executive producer. For Protozoa, Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel are executive producers. For National Geographic, Sean D. Johnson and Bengt Anderson are executive producers, and Tom McDonald is executive vice president of Content. Following “One Strange Rock” and “Welcome to Earth,” POLE TO POLE WITH WILL SMITH is Will’s third project with National Geographic.