A landmark red-carpet event in The Sustainable City spotlights the Hollywood star’s five-year, seven-continent journey exploring sustainability, science, and humanity’s connection with Earth
Global movie icon Will Smith is set to arrive in Dubai next week for the Middle East premiere of National Geographic’s original docuseries Pole to Pole with Will Smith, a cinematic exploration of the planet created over five years of filming. The high-profile red-carpet event will take place on January 9, 2026, at the SEE Institute in The Sustainable City, Dubai — the region’s first net-zero emissions building.
The premiere promises a Hollywood-style evening, featuring a private screening of an episode from the series, followed by a live Q&A with Smith alongside the scientists and explorers who joined him on the journey. The choice of venue underscores the project’s core message of environmental responsibility, with The Sustainable City widely recognised as a global model for sustainable urban living through its integration of renewable energy, biodiversity protection, and circular economy practices.
Five years in the making, Pole to Pole with Will Smith is a seven-part documentary that follows the actor across all seven continents during an intense 100-day expedition. The series traces his path from Antarctica’s vast ice fields to the Amazon rainforest, the towering Himalayas, the deserts of Africa, remote Pacific islands, and the Arctic. Along the way, Smith undertakes extreme physical challenges, including skiing to the South Pole and diving beneath the ice at the North Pole.
Blending environmental storytelling with science and deeply human experiences, the series places local communities, scientists, and explorers at the heart of its narrative. Their knowledge, resilience, and lived realities offer powerful insight into the challenges facing the planet, while highlighting pathways toward sustainability and climate resilience. At its core, the docuseries examines humanity’s evolving relationship with Earth and the shared responsibility to protect it.
Reflecting on the experience, Smith described the expedition as transformative. “This journey was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” he said, calling it both a physical and personal test that ultimately offered hope and a renewed perspective on the future of the planet.
Following its Dubai premiere, Pole to Pole with Will Smith will debut on National Geographic on January 13, air on National Geographic Abu Dhabi on January 14, and stream exclusively on Disney+ from January 14, bringing its powerful message to audiences around the world.
