Planet Earth III Updates: Will The Stunning Documentary Series Return?

Will there be a Planet Earth III? The first season of the BBC’s groundbreaking nature documentary Planet Earth aired way back in 2006. Combining cutting-edge technology and the dulcet tones of narrator David Attenborough, Planet Earth gave nature lovers a breathtaking global overview of the planet with each of its 11 episodes focusing on a different environmental habitat – from mountains and seas to jungles and deserts.

Planet Earth was then the most expensive wildlife documentary ever filmed and took a jaw-dropping five years to make. The effort was well worth it when the show was showered with praise and took home a handful of Emmys and a Peabody Award. Soon enough, Planet Earth grew into a franchise that spawned a number of companion series – including the conservation-themed documentaries Planet Earth: The Future and Saving Planet Earth – and a feature film co-produced by Disney and the BBC titled Earth.

It would be a decade, however, until nature lovers got to see an official second season. The long-awaited Planet Earth II finally aired in 2016 and took viewers on another remarkable journey across the globe that dipped into the everyday lives of everything from marine iguanas on the Galapagos Islands to urban peregrine falcons in New York. Luckily, fans of Planet Earth won’t have to wait another decade for a third season. Here’s everything we know about Planet Earth III.

Planet Earth III Is Already Underway

The BBC announced in February 2019 that Planet Earth III was definitely happening. Described by the network as “the most ambitious natural history landmark” it’s ever undertaken, Planet Earth III promises to use the latest technology and newly discovered flora and fauna behaviors to explore both the wonders of the world and the challenges currently facing the planet. The third season will feature eight brand-new one-hour episodes and is set to air on the BBC and BBC America in 2022.

Planet Earth III Is Part Of A Series Of Natural History Programming

Alongside stating Planet Earth III was going into production, the BBC also announced it had several other nature documentaries in the works. Seven Worlds, One Planet was broadcast in 2019 and tells the story of the wildlife on each of the planet’s seven continents. Perfect Planet explores how forces of nature like weather and ocean currents shape the world while Green Planet is described as “Planet Earth from the perspective of plants.” Both Perfect Planet and Green Planet will air in 2020.

Finally, the BBC will also release Frozen Planet II – a follow-up to its 2011 series – sometime in 2021. So, while there’s still a couple of years to wait before Planet Earth III hits the small screen, there are plenty of other stunning documentaries to keep nature lovers entertained in the meantime.