Where to watch Pole to Pole with Will Smith: The final countdown has begun for the most ambitious television event of the decade. Following five years of secretive production and a grueling 100-day expedition across all seven continents, National Geographic’s Pole to Pole with Will Smith is officially ready for its global debut. This seven-part docuseries, which marks the third collaboration between Hollywood superstar Will Smith and National Geographic (following One Strange Rock and Welcome to Earth), is scheduled to begin its staggered rollout next week.
As the series prepares to take viewers from the sub-zero icefields of Antarctica to the high-altitude monasteries of the Himalayas, audiences across the world are seeking clarity on how to tune in. Below is the official professional guide to the broadcast and streaming schedule for 2026.
Where to Watch: Global Streaming & Broadcast Partners
In a coordinated global launch, the Walt Disney Company has structured the release of Pole to Pole to reach both traditional television viewers and digital-first subscribers simultaneously.
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In the United States: National Geographic, Hulu, and Disney+
US-based viewers have multiple avenues to catch the series:
- Linear Television: The series officially premieres on the National Geographic Channel on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 9:00 PM ET/PT. The first two episodes (“The South Pole” and “The Amazon: Deadly Creatures”) will air back-to-back.
- Streaming: For digital subscribers, the entire seven-part series will be available to stream the following day, Wednesday, January 14, 2026, on both Hulu and Disney+.
In the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia
- Disney+ Global: Fans in the UK, Canada, and Australia can stream Pole to Pole with Will Smith starting January 14, 2026.
- Linear TV (UK): National Geographic UK will begin airing the series on January 14 at 8:00 PM GMT.
In India & Asia-Pacific
- Streaming: The series will be hosted on Disney+ Hotstar starting January 14, 2026, available in English and localized dubs including Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
- Television: National Geographic India has slated the television premiere for mid-January, following the global rollout.
The Expedition: 7 Continents, 100 Days
Pole to Pole is far more than a standard travelogue. It is a cinematic “passion play” produced by Westbrook Studios, Nutopia, and Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures. The series follows Will Smith as he attempts to cross the 26,000-mile journey from the South Pole to the North Pole.
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Episode Highlights:
- Antarctica: Will joins polar athlete Richard Parks to trek across 700 miles of ice, facing bone-chilling winds and 16,000-foot peaks.
- The Amazon: In a segment already generating buzz, Will (who has admitted to a lifelong fear of spiders) abseils 200 feet into the “Womb of the Earth” to extract venom from a giant tarantula for medical research.
- The Himalayas: A deeply personal episode set in Bhutan, where Will treks to 13,000 feet to meet happiness experts and monks, confronting the psychological challenges of his own career.
- The Arctic: The series finale depicts a high-stakes mission to dive under the ice at the North Pole, a mission nearly thwarted by mechanical failure and a severe snowstorm.
Red Carpet Buzz: The Dubai Premiere
To mark the series’ cultural significance, a high-profile Middle East premiere is taking place today, January 8, 2026, in Dubai. Will Smith is attending the event at The Sustainable City, emphasizing the docuseries’ focus on environmental science and climate change. The premiere underscores the show’s dual purpose: entertaining global audiences while highlighting groundbreaking research, such as the search for the giant green anaconda and the preservation of lost languages in the Pacific.
Quick Series Facts
| Feature | Details |
| Host / Executive Producer | Will Smith |
| Production Partners | Westbrook Studios, Nutopia, Protozoa |
| TV Premiere Date | January 13, 2026 (Nat Geo) |
| Streaming Premiere Date | January 14, 2026 (Disney+/Hulu/Hotstar) |
| Total Episodes | 7 Parts |
| Key Contributors | Richard Parks, Dr. Bryan Fry, Tshering Denkar |
The Technical Specs
For those with home theater setups, National Geographic has confirmed that the series was shot using state-of-the-art cinematic cameras capable of 8K resolution. Streaming platforms will offer the series in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, ensuring that the “jaw-dropping” cinematography of the Earth’s most extreme environments is experienced as intended.
