James Cameron and National Geographic Announce New Additions to the "Secrets of" Franchise

In a surprise appearance at TCA Winter Press Tour, executive producer and National Geographic Explorer-At-Large James Cameron, taking a break from his global press tour amid the historic success of Avatar: The Way of Water, appeared onstage today in Pasadena.

What’s Happening:

During the Secrets of the Elephants panel, it was revealed that Natalie Portman (Thor: Love and Thunder) will narrate the upcoming Earth Day series.
Then, Cameron took the stage and shared with the press in attendance new installments of his Emmy-winning National Geographic Earth Day franchise series “Secrets of” with Secrets of the Bees and Secrets of the Penguins.
Previously announced, next year’s special will be Secrets of the Octopus.
While at TCA, Cameron also shared a clip of his upcoming National Geographic special Titanic: 25 Years Later with James Cameron.
The special will air on February 5th at 9/8c leading into Titanic’s remastered theatrical release on February 10th.
An update of Titanic: 20 Years Later with James Cameron, the new documentary features the surprising story of how the long-lost ship was found, explores historical questions about how the Titanic sank, and digs into the debate about whether additional lifeboats on board would have saved more lives.
In a new segment, Cameron adds a postscript to his fictional retelling of the tragedy. After hearing fans continue to insist Jack didn’t have to die that night, he gathers hypothermia experts and mounts tests to determine, once and for all, whether both Jack and Rose could have fit on the raft and survived.

Natalie Portman will narrate the upcoming Earth Day series, Secrets of the Elephants, premiering on National Geographic on April 21st, streaming the next day on Disney+.
Elephants have long been a source of wonder and mystery with their rich emotional lives and almost supernatural ways of navigating the world. In Secrets of the Elephants, we travel the globe to meet different families of elephants ― desert elephants, forest elephants, Asian elephants and African savannah elephants ― and each has an incredible story of intelligence, grace and survival to tell.
Emmy Award-winners James Cameron and Maria Wilhelm for Earthship are executive producers. Lucinda Axelsson is the executive producer for Oxford Scientific Films.

Greenlight announcements included:

SECRETS OF THE BEES (Silverback Films)

Think “bee” and chances are the honeybee will come to mind; yet, there are over 20,000 species of bee on Earth. From mountains to deserts, plains to jungles, bees have conquered every continent on the planet except Antarctica. Their importance to both the natural and human worlds cannot be overestimated. But with the science around bees gathering attention, there’s never been a better time to showcase the intimate secrets of bees. Employing the very latest macro technology to capture the “bee-eye view,” witness intimate bee behaviors showcasing their acute intelligence. And with a uniquely designed beehive filming at the center of the action, cameras will capture the highs and lows of beehive family drama ― a queen bee working tirelessly to defend, feed and serve her family. At the end of the day, it’s all about the family.
Emmy Award-winners James Cameron and Maria Wilhelm for Earthship are executive producers. For Silverback Films, executive producers are Alastair Fothergill and Huw Cordey.

SECRETS OF THE PENGUINS (Talesmith)

Three years in the making, 20 years after the Academy Award-winning March of the Penguins, Secrets of the Penguins will tell a brand new, world-first story on the charismatic, plucky and sentient birds at the other end of the Earth. Using newly developed technology, world-class scientific research and unprecedented access, National Geographic will unlock the secrets of the species that make their home in surprising and challenging landscapes around the world.
Over three episodes, the series unlocks previously untold stories and revelatory behaviors from global penguin societies, quick to feel love, hate or fear. Antarctica’s strong, powerful but sensitive emperors battle to survive on the dangerous front line of climate change. The street-smart African and little blue penguins live in cities, deserts and beyond, relying on tenacious and “talkative” adolescents to forge new paths into the unknown. Powerful modern themes emerge among the macaronis and chinstraps of wild South Georgia, from strong female leadership to diversity, crime and extreme bravery. Their moving narratives will astonish and inspire, showing penguins to be more like us than we ever realized before.
Emmy Award-winners James Cameron and Maria Wilhelm for Earthship are executive producers. For Talesmith, Emmy and BAFTA-winning executive producers are Ruth Roberts and Martin Williams.

What They’re Saying:

James Cameron said: “On the Avatar films, we're creating a fantasy view of nature but, thematically, underneath all that is this idea of the interconnectedness not only of nature itself but of us with nature, as inhabitants of nature. In the Secrets series we try to forge an even more intimate and emotional connection with nature – to illuminate how these amazing creatures think, how they feel, how they communicate, how they function as complex societies and cultures.”
Courteney Monroe, National Geographic Content President said: “With an over 135-year-old legacy in natural history content, we’re just as passionate about who’s telling our stories as the stories we tell. Whether it be our onscreen scientists in Secrets of the Elephants, our narrators like Natalie Portman, or our filmmakers like Jim Cameron, we have become a port-of-call for best in class talent who want to tell meaningful stories that inspire a deeper connection to our world. Our “Secrets Of” franchise reinforces our commitment at National Geographic to remaining THE leader in natural history storytelling."