National Geographic has announced they’ve started production on a brand new six-part documentary series called “Oceanxplorers”, that will deliver ground-breaking stories about Earth’s oceans.

Pairing a dream team of the world’s greatest ocean storytellers with the most advanced combined exploration and media vessel ever built, the cross-platform event will begin filming this February in the shark capital of the Atlantic—the West Indies. The research team’s first mission is to study the great hammerhead’s hunting behaviors and solve one of the ocean’s most pressing mysteries: What makes this critically endangered species the ultimate predator, and why is it rapidly disappearing?

From BBC Studios Natural History Unit (“Blue Planet II”), OceanX Media, and National Geographic Explorer at Large James Cameron (“Avatar”), comes the most ambitious ocean adventure ever filmed. On board the vessel will be a handpicked team of pioneers, scientists and filmmakers capable of discovering our ocean’s greatest secrets. OCEANXPLORERS will combine high-end, science-driven documentary with breathtaking sequences to capture the drama and thrill of exploration—a high-stakes adventure in ocean discovery. The series will take audiences aboard National Geographic’s maiden voyage with OceanX’s scientific research and exploration vessel, OceanXplorer, to investigate the farthest frontiers of the world’s oceans, 95% of which are entirely unexplored. Throughout filming, the distinguished team will explore the waters in the West Indies, the Dominican Republic, the Azores and the Arctic. The serieswill premiere in 172 countries and 43 languages on National Geographic.

On board this next-generation ocean exploration vessel will be a handpicked team of pioneering filmmakers, explorers and world-leading scientists. These experts will uncover the ocean’s greatest secrets—diving deeper, getting closer and venturing into the darkest recesses of the seas, many inaccessible until now. This multidisciplinary team includes a large marine mammals expert, a deep-sea specialist, a robotics and tech wiz, and an expert in expedition safety. With their combined skill sets, they are ready to tackle the biggest mysteries the ocean has to offer. These brave OCEANXPLORERS are the following:

• National Geographic Explorer and marine biologist Asha de Vos (@ashadevos) – Devoting her life to uncovering ocean mysteries and inspiring young people around the world, de Vos initiated the Blue Whale Project to study and protect blue whales and co-founded Sri Lanka’s first marine conservation research and education organization, Oceanswell.

• Offshore ecologist Zoleka Filander (@Zoleka_Filander) – As a leader of theSouth African ocean research community, Filander has served as a scientist and expedition leader on countless research cruises off the coasts of South Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania. She has garnered several awards for her contributions to marine science and opened doors for other black women to enter the field.

• ROV innovator and engineer Eric Stackpole (@Eerrp) – With a master’s in mechanical engineering, a background at NASA and serving as a lead engineer and ROV pilot on a three-month Antarctic exploration, Stackpole has always pushed the limits of robotics and drone technology.

• Operations and survival expert Aldo Kane (@AldoKane) – As a trained Royal Marine Commando, where he became one of the youngest elite Commando snipers ever, and an expert in survival and operations in all environments—jungle, desert, arctic, ocean and mountains—Kane has led countless water-based expeditions with some of the world’s elite.

OCEANXPLORERS will tell the stories of adventurous explorers, scientists and filmmakers with never-before-used technology as they embark on their mission, tackling challenges that arise from seeking to solve some of the ocean’s greatest outstanding mysteries. State-of-the-art underwater camera rigs will focus on the ultimate predator, the great hammerhead—so evolved, it’s capable of snatching another shark whole—to discover why it is rapidly disappearing. The first-ever all-night deep-sea stake-out of the greatest migration on Earth will show the extraordinary lengths some creatures will go to find something to eat from the bottom of the ocean.

Equipped with the ship’s cutting-edge scientific equipment, OCEANXPLORERS will showcase the thrill of exploration and extraordinary wildlife filmmaking, pushing the boundaries of knowledge at the final frontier on Earth—its oceans. Unimaginable encounters, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and filming techniques will bring to life the magical worlds of the oceans in exquisite detail.

OCEANXPLORERS is co-produced by BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit and OceanX Media for National Geographic. For Earthship, Cameron and Maria Wilhelm are executive producers. Roger Webb and Orla Doherty are executive producers for BBC Studios. Brian Catalina is showrunner from Brian Catalina Entertainment. Ray Dalio, Mark Dalio and Joe Ruffolo are executive producers for OceanX Media. For National Geographic, Kevin Tao Mohs is executive producer; Alan Eyres is senior vice president, production and development.

Are you looking forward to seeing “Oceanxplorers”?

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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