Documentaries on dinosaurs have always been difficult to make due to the fact that all of the creatures they focus on have been extinct for millions of years. However, the widely anticipated Prehistoric Planet has brought together the knowledge, abilities, and storytelling of modern-day scientists, paleoartists, animators, producers, and—yes—David Attenborough. Prehistoric Planet, which will premiere on Apple TV+ in May, was created with input from experts such as palaeozoologist Darren Naish and scientific illustrator and paleoartist Gabriel Ugueto.
This implies that feathered newborn T.rexes, patterned Pachyrhines, and even sauropod throat sacs will be on exhibit for the first time. It also has an original score by Hans Zimmer, a multiple Academy Award winner, as do all outstanding nature documentaries. Walking with Dinosaurs, which was broadcast on the BBC in 1999, is the closest approximation. But, twenty-three years later, everything we know about dinosaurs, their appearance, behavior, parenting abilities, and so on has advanced by leaps and bounds — and now we’ll get to see it all in magnificent 3D.
The inclusion of some of the most well-known personalities in dinosaur research has sparked a firestorm on paleo Twitter, with many praising what they think will be a more authentic portrayal of one of Earth’s most fascinating chapters. The series will premiere in May as part of a “five-night documentary event” that will include photo-realistic visual effects similar to those seen in the remakes of The Lion King and The Jungle Book, on which Prehistoric Planet producer Jon Favreau also worked.
After leaving Disney, Favreau joins co-producer Mike Gunton and the BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit in collaborating with consulting experts to explore the Cretaceous Era’s forests, deserts, ice realms, and aquatic and marine ecosystems. The enthusiasm with which the authenticity of the dinosaurs seen thus far in the recently released trailer and sneak peek below has received hints that future dinosaur-themed projects will have a lot to learn from. We’re talking about Jurassic World Dominion, which was just released to the public a few weeks following Prehistoric Planet.
