Curiosity Stream Announces 2022 Slate of Originals
Strongest Slate To Date Features New and Returning Series Favorites Plus Feature Films Including DOUG TO THE RESCUE, ENGINEERING THE FUTURE, RESCUED CHIMPANZEES OF THE CONGO WITH JANE GOODALL, INSIDE THE MIND OF A CON ARTIST, SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE and TYCOONS
SILVER SPRING, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Curiosity, the leading global factual streaming service and media company (NASDAQ: CURI), today announced a sneak peek into its 2022 slate of original series and feature-length documentary films, featuring more originals for Curiosity Stream and Curiosity Channel than any previous year. Several popular series are back for new seasons plus exciting new, brand-defining titles showcase compelling stories from biomimicry, asteroids, true crime, and exotic wildlife rescue to great escapes in history, accidental inventions, tycoons that shaped the world, and much more.
“Every year just gets better,” said Clint Stinchcomb, President and CEO of Curiosity. “We are delighted to take viewers to a new place every week with our phenomenal lineup of truly original and innovative factual storytelling, unlike anywhere else in streaming.”
Curiosity’s big year of originals kicked off in January, showcasing an electric new talent in natural history filmmaking, as biologist and adventurer Patrick Aryee set off on a high-octane global adventure in the 6-part series Evolve. Titans: The Rise of Wall Street premiered in January, taking viewers into the drama, power, opulence, and perilous missteps of American finance. The feature doc Red Elvis: The Cold War Cowboy sets the story of an American popstar, caught between superpowers, to a fantastic soundtrack. And the 6-part Inside the Mind of a Con Artist probes some of the world’s most notorious cheats, and makes you wonder – who can you really trust?
And coming soon, several fan favorites returning for a second season include Doug To The Rescue, featuring drone pilot Doug Thron as he explores new ways to use next-gen drone technology not only for animal rescues after natural disasters but also for conservation as he travels to Africa on a tracking mission; Engineering The Future, narrated by award-winning actor David Oyelowo, exploring the technologies that could revolutionize life as we know it; and Rescued Chimpanzees Of The Congo With Jane Goodall takes viewers for the first time behind the scenes of the groundbreaking efforts to attempt the most intensive chimpanzee release in the world. And returning for its fourth season is the acclaimed Curiosity original docu-series 4th and Forever, this time taking us to the iconic birthplace of Friday night lights.
Following Curiosity’s Emmy-nominated hit, Secrets of the Solar System, comes a brand-new 8-part series, Secrets of the Universe, premiering in March. This landmark series is the ultimate guide to the universe, told by the individuals behind the biggest missions in space exploration, including the James Webb Telescope and NASA’s Artemis mega-rocket. These are powerful tales of discovery, illustrated with stunning space imagery and unseen archives, from the race to image the first ever black hole to searching for life on Mars. And the original series Tycoons unpacks the stories of the world’s richest entrepreneurs – names like Bezos, Gates, and, yes, Kardashian – who, in some ways, yield just as much power as any elected leader.
“We’re ecstatic to be able to offer Curiosity Stream viewers an original programming slate of this magnitude and caliber — especially in the midst of a pandemic,” said Rob Burk, Head of Original Content for Curiosity. “The increasing number of tentpole original series and feature docs we’ve been investing in are really beginning to bear fruit now, and we couldn’t be prouder of the results. From exploring the greatest secrets of the cosmos, to probing the psychology of the world’s most notorious con artists, our global production partners have continued to entertain and inspire us with a dazzling display of groundbreaking factual content.”
About Curiosity Inc.
Curiosity Inc. is the entertainment brand for people who want to know more. The global media company is home to award-winning original and curated factual films, shows and series covering science, nature, history, technology, society, and lifestyle. With approximately 23 million subscribers worldwide and thousands of titles, the company operates the flagship Curiosity Stream SVOD service, available in more than 175 countries worldwide; Curiosity Channel, the linear television channel available via global distribution partners; and Curiosity Studios, which oversees original programming. Curiosity Inc. recently completed the acquisition of One Day University, which provides access to engaging talks and lectures from the best university and college professors in the United States. Curiosity Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CuriosityStream Inc. (Nasdaq: CURI). For more information, visit CuriosityStream.com.
Please find series & film full descriptions below.
Rescued Chimpanzees of the Congo with Jane Goodall (Season 2)
Building on the success of season one, we boldly move from the Jane Goodall Institute’s (JGI) Tchimpounga sanctuary’s past to its exciting future, following a very special group of rescued chimpanzees as JGI staff work on complicated logistics to prepare these amazing beings to hopefully be released back into the wild. Guiding us through this challenging journey are familiar faces Dr. Jane Goodall and JGI’s Dr. Rebeca Atencia, with cutting edge scientific insights from renowned experts including Dr. Alexandra Rosati. A select group of chimpanzees, all of whom were rescued and rehabilitated from the illegal wildlife trade, will undergo psychological tests to see if they can handle the wild, and each other, in one of the most scientifically rigorous potential release efforts ever recorded. Over forty chimpanzees will start the process. With a bit of hope and a lot of care, will they make it? 6-part series, hour episodes.
Doug to the Rescue (Season 2)
Aerial cinematographer Doug Thron uses his cutting-edge infrared drone to locate and rescue animals around the world. This season, he’s going farther than ever before, taking his drone from the East African Grasslands to the Dominican Republic, from tornado-ravaged Kentucky towns to the devastating Colorado wildfires, always working with scientists, experts, and conservationists to pioneer new paths for this technology. Whether it’s a wild fox, a newborn puppy, or a pack of urban hyenas, Doug is on a mission to make sure no animal is left behind. 5-part series, half hour episodes.
Secrets of the Universe
Secrets of the Universe launches viewers on eight mind-blowing adventures to seek answers to some of the Universe’s biggest mysteries. How did the Universe begin? Are there other Earth-like worlds? What is life? Each stand-alone film tells the remarkable stories of the missions and the breakthroughs that have revolutionized our understanding of the cosmos, featuring many of the world’s top space scientists, engineers, and explorers. They reveal not just wonderful far away vistas and amazing science, but also the powerful human stories that reveal the dedication and perseverance needed to explore the Universe for all of humanity. 8-part series, hour episodes.
4th and Forever: DeSoto
In season four of the acclaimed docu-series 4th & Forever, we return to the iconic birthplace of ‘Friday night lights.’ Everything is big in Texas, but nothing is bigger than high school football. And perhaps no team is more promising than the DeSoto Eagles. This perennial powerhouse plays in Dallas-Fort Worth’s notorious “District of Doom,” and has sent more than 17 players to the NFL. Their fiery head coach Claud Mathis went 74-18 in his first tenure with the team from 2008-2014. Now he’s back to try to salvage a program in danger of going off the rails, and the pressure from fans is enormous. The question is, will his young players and coaches be able to withstand it, and make another successful run at a state title. 8-part series, hour episodes.
Engineering the Future (Season 2)
Narrated by David Oyelowo, a ground-breaking engineering series exploring the spectacular technologies that could revolutionize life as we know it. From the metaverse to perpetual power, this series features exclusive access to large-scale, cutting edge projects around the globe that combine science, technology, and engineering to chart a future that’s closer than we think. 6-part series, hour episodes.
Tycoons
Money makes the world go round. But today, it seems that it is falling into the hands of the few. But how did we get here? We unpack the complex journeys of the “Billionaire Tycoons,” industrialists and entrepreneurs who now yield just as much power as any elected leader. Each episode focuses on a different economic superpower, USA, China, and Russia, as we retell their journey from economic backwater to economic juggernaut, all through the surprising stories of its richest and most powerful Tycoons. 3-part series, hour episodes.
Asteroid Rush
Every day, hundreds of asteroids fall towards Earth. Small asteroids cause no harm, but large asteroids can have major consequences. There is no doubt that a killer asteroid will one day cross paths with the Earth…and that we will need to be ready to act. Knowing this, the world’s space agencies have set up specialist departments for detecting and exploring asteroids. For the first time in history, they are even planning on changing an asteroid’s orbit to protect the planet. Will we be able to avoid global catastrophe? The countdown has begun. 2-part special, hour episodes.
Ancient Earth: Dinosaurs of the South Pole
Buried deep under a mile of ice, the ancient mysteries of Antarctica hold the secrets to how it endured Earth’s two great extinction events better than the other continents. It became a refuge for prehistoric creatures and species that went into serious decline, or died, everywhere else on the planet. In the newest installment of Curiosity’s award-winning series Ancient Earth, follow along on a new expedition to the ice-bound continent to uncover more evidence of its incredible past and to help solve the mysteries that could impact our planet in the future. 2-part special, hour episodes.
Ancient Engineering (Season 2)
Today’s technology still relies on many breakthroughs made by ancient engineers. From a simple winch to the grandeur of the Colosseum, how did early civilizations devise such ingenious solutions and build on such a scale? This series reveals the engineering geniuses that solved age-old problems and tells the story behind their amazing inventions that changed the course of history. 10-part series, hour episodes.
Celts: The Untold Story
Most of what we think about the Celtic people – from their connection to Halloween to their supposed origins in the British Isles – is wrong. This series uncovers the unknown history of the Celts, a people who left no written record but communicated their past through song and story, who came from central Europe and spread across the continent, and whose trade in salt made them the aristocrats of the ancient world. 3-part special, hour episodes.
Impossible Escapes: The Civil War
The American* Civil War provided a setting for some of the most desperate, most daring stories of escape and survival that the country has ever witnessed. Impossible Escapes: The Civil War mixes tension with triumph and action with rare, firsthand accounts to immerse viewers inside the conflict in ways they have never been before. 6-part series, half hour episodes.
Oops I Changed The World
These are the fascinating stories of accidental and surprise inventions that have transformed our lives. Explore how a broken thermometer led to a scientist creating the first ever photograph; Or how all of the plastic in the world owes its existence to a cut finger. Did you know — the reason we’re so addicted to our phones is all because of a drooling dog? Or that poisoned sausage meat is behind the revolution in cosmetic surgery. Oops I Changed The World is an entertaining and informative romp through some of the untold stories of innovation. 15-part series, hour episodes.
Contacts
Ashley Huston
Ashley.Huston@curiositystream.com