For 10 years, Disneynature has transported moviegoers around the world and under the sea, showcasing an array of animals that have touched the hearts of millions.
A mama bear treks through snowy Alaskan terrain on a mission to feed her new spring cubs. A tiny orphaned chimpanzee is adopted by the most unlikely member of his extended family. A panda bear cub tests her boundaries —and her watchful mother. And a clueless-but-captivating first-time father penguin finds his way among millions of fellow penguins.
Disneynature marks a decade since its first feature-film debut with its newest film, Penguins. The first-ever Disneynature film to be released in IMAX® opens nationwide today, just in time for Earth Day.
Penguins continues Disneynature’s conservation tradition: for every ticket sold opening week (April 17–23, 2019), Disneynature will make a donation to the Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN) to help protect penguins across the southern hemisphere.
Penguins is a coming-of-age story narrated by Ed Helms (The Office, The Hangover trilogy, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) about an Adélie penguin named Steve who’s on a quest to build a suitable nest, find a life partner, and start a family. None of it comes easily for him, especially considering he's targeted by everything from killer whales to leopard seals, who unapologetically threaten his happily ever after.
To capture the stunning footage for Penguins, a team of the best polar experts in the world traveled to four different locations over the course of three years for a total of nearly 900 camera days. Temperatures dropped below -40˚F on several occasions and winds twice topped 150 mph while filmmakers were on location. Their efforts resulted in the extraordinary story of Steve, who promises to charm audiences worldwide.
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ABOUT WILDLIFE CONSERVATION NETWORK
The Wildlife Conservation Network’s (WCN) mission is to protect endangered wildlife by supporting conservationists who ensure wildlife and people co-exist and thrive. WCN invests in a select network of on-the-ground conservationists, offering the financial resources, tools, and services they need to effectively protect wildlife. WCN also creates large-scale Crisis and Recovery Funds, investing in projects that can protect a threatened species across its entire habitat. As no one organization or person can save wildlife alone, WCN emphasizes collaboration, connecting conservationists and supporters and creating a community united in a passion for wildlife. Learn more about WCN's unique approach to saving wildlife and the work of our conservation partners at wildnet.org.
ABOUT GLOBAL PENGUIN SOCIETY
The Global Penguin Society (GPS) is dedicated to the survival and protection of the world´s penguin species, fostering integrated ocean conservation through science, management (policy making), and education. GPS is an internationally recognized leader in the conservation of penguins and the coasts and oceans they inhabit. The Global Penguin Society endeavors to:
- Develop sound science to use in the conservation of penguins and marine environments at local, regional, and global scales;
- Educate communities and decision makers about the importance of penguins and their habitats, aiming at achieving lasting behavioral changes;
- Identify priority areas for the conservation of penguins and their ecosystems, propose and implement guidelines for their protection; and
- Influence the establishment, implementation and efficacy of public and private conservation policies.
GPS is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Learn about penguins and how GPS helps them globally at: globalpenguinsociety.org.
ABOUT DISNEYNATURE
Celebrating 10 years since its first U.S. theatrical feature, Earth, Disneynature brings the world’s top nature filmmakers together to share a wide variety of wildlife stories on the big screen in order to engage, inspire, and educate theatrical audiences everywhere. Walt Disney was a pioneer in wildlife filmmaking, producing 13 True-Life Adventure motion pictures between 1948 and 1960, which earned eight Academy Awards®. All seven of Disneynature’s theatrical film releases — Earth, Oceans, African Cats, Chimpanzee, Bears, Monkey Kingdom, and Born in China — rank among the top 10 highest overall grossing feature-length nature films to date, with Chimpanzee garnering a record-breaking opening weekend for the genre. Opening April 17, 2019, Penguins is the label’s eighth theatrical release. Disneynature’s commitment to conservation is a key pillar of the label and the films empower the audience to help make a difference. Through donations tied to opening-week attendance of its films, Disneynature has contributed to a host of conservation initiatives. Stay connected with and learn more about Disneynature at Facebook.com/Disneynature and Twitter.com/Disneynature.
