Prehistoric Planet 2022: Apple TV+ release date of new David Attenborough dinosaur documentary - and trailer

David Attenborough, Jon Favreau, and a team of expert paleontologists have teamed up for Apple TV+’s Prehistoric Planet, a five-part natural history documentary about dinosaurs
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Prehistoric Planet, a new dinosaur documentary narrated by David Attenborough, is coming to Apple TV+ on Monday 23 May.

There are five episodes in the series, and a new episode will become available each day from Monday 23 to Friday 27.

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Here’s everything you need to know about Prehistoric Planet.

What is it about?

Prehistoric Planet is a natural history documentary about dinosaurs in the Cretaceous period. Each episode focuses on a different habitat: coastal areas, deserts, freshwater environments, ice worlds, and forests.

The series uses photorealistic CGI, similar to the 2019 remake of The Lion King, which was based on the most up-to-date science available. For example, Prehistoric Planet depicts a baby Tyrannosaurus Rex with feathers, as scientific communities have in recent years concluded was likely the case.

Who was involved in the series?

David Attenborough narrates the series, as he has done a number of other natural history and wildlife documentaries. Prehistoric Planet is his second dinosaur-focused series this year after Easter’s Dinosaurs: The Final Day, which was about the Tanis fossil graveyard and the extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs.

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Jon Favreau (The Mandalorian, The Lion King) was an executive producer on the series, contributing in his capacity as someone who’s been heavily involved in advances in photorealistic CGI. You can read our interview with Favreau about the series here.

Mike Gunton, a producer at the BBC Natural History Unit, was an executive producer on this series also. Gunton has previously worked on a number of similar documentaries, from The Green Planet to Dynasties to Planet Earth II.

A number of paleontologists and scientific illustrators, such as Darren Naish (Primeval), Stephen Brusatte (Walking With Dinosaurs), and Gabriel Ugueto (Extinct), were involved as consultants on the series to ensure scientific rigour. Hans Zimmer (Inception) has provided the score.

Is there a trailer?

Yes, there is. You can see it right here.

A second triceratops focused trailer has also been released. You can watch it right here.

When and how can I watch Prehistoric Planet?

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Prehistoric Planet will be available on Apple TV+. The series is being positioned as a week-long event, with a new episode available each day from Monday 23 May through to Friday 27 May.

How many episodes is Prehistoric Planet?

Prehistoric Planet is five episodes total. Each episode focuses on dinosaur behaviour in a different habitat: coastal areas, deserts, freshwater environments, ice worlds, and forests.

What do Prehistoric Planet reviews say?

NationalWorld’s review hailed the series as “a remarkable blend of science and spectacle”, praising Prehistoric Planet for both its visual stylings and its emphasis on dinosaurs as animals rather than monsters.

You didn’t happen to interview Jon Favreau and Darren Naish, did you?

Funnily enough, actually, we did! Steven Ross spoke to executive producer Jon Favreau and scientific advisor Darren Naish all about how the dinosaurs were created, how Prehistoric Planet maintained scientific rigour, and more.

When is the next David Attenborough documentary out?

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Prehistoric Planet is the second of three major projects for Attenborough this year.

In January, Attenborough documentary Green Planet – which also boasted new and innovative filming techniques – aired on BBC One.

Later this year, Attenborough will return for Planet Earth III as part of the BBC Centenary celebrations. While we don’t have a specific release date for this confirmed just yet, it’s likely to air in or around October, when the BBC’s 100th anniversary occurs.

He’s also recently appeared in documentaries about The Giant Mammoth and the Tannis Dinosaur graveyard site.

Why should I watch Prehistoric Planet?

It’s a genuinely remarkable blend of science and spectacle, offering unprecedented insight into the lives of animals that have captured the imagination for generations.

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