Screen Rant has an exclusive clip from Disney+'s upcoming Earth Day special, "Explorer: The Last Tepui," produced by National Geographic. Premiering on April 22 to promote the conversation of the planet, this one-hour experience follows elite climber Alex Honnold (who gained a great deal of notoriety from the 2018 documentary film, Free Solo) and National Geographic Explorer Mark Synnott (who already appeared in a previous NatGeo release, Lost on Everest) into the heart of the Amazon and up a 1000-foot cliff.
Their team of world-class climbers, led by Synnott, has one very important goal: to deliver extraordinary biologist Bruce Means to the top of a tepuis. Essentially a giant island in the sky, the tepuis is home to many previously undiscovered animal species, and the latest environmental adventure is centered on making some of them known to audiences and explorers alike - if they can make it safely through the miles of treacherous jungle terrain first.
National Geographic’s Explorer series actually has a long and rich history dating back to 1985. The award-winning program aired for 25 years, making it the longest-running documentary series in cable TV history, and then went off the air for five years before relaunching in 2015 after a five-year hiatus. Once a month, Explorer traverses to unknown and remote corners of the the planet to uncover the secrets of Mother Nature and share them with audiences who crave knowledge. "Explorer: The Last Tepui," which was directed by cinematographer and nature lover Renan Öztürk, aims to expose the gorgeous biodiversity of unknown crevices of the Amazon and inspire viewers to protect the Earth all the more.
In Screen Rant's exclusive clip, which you can view above, the climbing team forges ahead the 35-mile trek across the jungle. Dr. Bruce Means is at the front of the group, teaching Alex Honnold about the various species they encounter in the rainforest. Honnold humorously compares him to the life of the party who knows all the gossip - only in this case, the party is the Amazon and the gossip is the interconnectivity of the animal life in it. In this particular clip, the biologist points out a group of spiders who have broken tradition, engaging in colonial rather than solitary behaviors.
The trailer for "Explorer: The Last Tepui," which was released earlier this month, shared an even longer glimpse into Synnott and Honnold's journey. The danger and beauty of the tepuis are both evident throughout, and it's certain that the team's climbing skills will be put to the test.
"Explorer: The Last Tepui" is not the only documentary being released on Earth Day by Disney+, as Disneynature's Polar Bear premieres on April 22 as well. Helmed by the Alastair Fothergill and Jeff Wilson, the iconic duo behind Penguins, that film is yet another example of the collaborative commitment to the perseveration of our planet shown by both Disney and National Geographic.
National Geographic's Earth Day special, "Explorer: The Last Tepui," will be available to stream April 22 on Disney+.
