Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios Signs First-Look Deal With Nat Geo

TCA 2021: Five-year unscripted pact comes ahead of Smith’s Disney+ docuseries “Welcome to Earth”

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Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios has signed a five-year first-look TV deal for unscripted content with Nat Geo.

The deal comes ahead of Smith’s Nat Geo-produced docuseries “Welcome to Earth,” which debuts later this year. The five-year deal encompasses the development of all unscripted projects in the areas of adventure, exploration, travel and science for all of National Geographic’s television platforms and National Geographic-produced Disney+ Originals.

“Having spent the past two years working with Will and the team at Westbrook Studios (along with Darren Aronofsky and Nutopia) on ‘Welcome to Earth,’ we are thrilled to be expanding our relationship with them and entering into a long-term partnership to produce blockbuster nonfiction content,” Courteney Monroe, president of National Geographic Content, said. “Will and Westbrook share our passion for telling bold, best-in-class stories that ignite curiosity and inspire people to explore and care about our world, and we can’t wait to see where our next adventures together take us.”

“Will and I are thrilled to partner with National Geographic to bring the astonishing imagery of nature and science to screens around the world. We strive to empower artists to tell stories that connect humanity, and Courteney and the entire Nat Geo team share that vision,” Terence Carter, Westbrook Studios co-president and head of television, said. “Through these stories, we invite audiences to see the wonder and beauty of the world around us and to experience the endless adventure and exploration that’s possible on our humbling planet.”

“Welcome to Earth” was produced in partnership with Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures and Jane Root’s Nutopia.

Carter and Alan Eyres, senior vice president of development and production for National Geographic, spearheaded this first-look deal. The partnership between National Geographic and Westbrook Studios was brokered by Creative Artists Agency (CAA).

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