Quick Facts
| Title | Incredible Animal Journeys |
| Release Date | November 19, 2023 (National Geographic); November 20, 2023 (Disney+ & Hulu) |
| Narrator | Jeremy Renner |
| Executive Producer | Mark Brownlow |
| Showrunner | Sarah Gibbs |
| Composer | Jake Monaco |
| Production Company | Plimsoll Productions |
| Genre | Nature Documentary |
| Where to Watch | Disney+, Hulu, National Geographic |
Incredible Animal Journeys is a seven-part National Geographic nature documentary series, produced by the UK production company Plimsoll Productions and narrated by Jeremy Renner — his first nature-documentary project. The series was filmed over three years across 20 countries, following the epic migrations millions of animals make across the globe every year. It premiered on National Geographic on November 19, 2023, and began streaming on Disney+ and Hulu the next day, November 20.
The show’s executive producer is Mark Brownlow, a 28-year BBC veteran who worked on Blue Planet II and Frozen Planet II before joining Plimsoll in 2023; its showrunner is Sarah Gibbs. Brownlow’s arrival at Plimsoll coincided with a leadership change at the company: shortly after Incredible Animal Journeys was announced, Plimsoll promoted Brownlow to Creative Director, Natural History, following the departure of the company’s previous Creative Director, Tom Hugh-Jones, who left at the end of 2023 to join Passion Pictures. Brownlow has overseen Incredible Animal Journeys since joining the company. (An earlier version of this article garbled this into an unrelated, unverifiable claim involving James Cameron and other fabricated names — there is no evidence connecting Cameron to this series; the real story is the Brownlow/Hugh-Jones leadership transition at Plimsoll described above.)
What Is Incredible Animal Journeys About?
According to IMDb: Humans may believe that they are the greatest explorers in the world, but they are not. Millions of animals migrate across the globe every day on paths that have been used for centuries, as they soar, fly, and swim from the Antarctic to the African Savanna and the Pacific Ocean to Alaska. Each episode follows a different set of animals — including zebras, elephants, polar bears, humpback whales, and monarch butterflies — through the highs and lows of their annual migrations.
Who Composed the Incredible Animal Journeys Score?
Jake Monaco composed the original score. Monaco is an American film and TV composer whose other credits include Apple TV+’s Eva the Owlet, Pixar’s Cars on the Road, and the films Dumplin’ and Keeping Up with the Joneses. For this series, Monaco built a globe-spanning sound around sweeping orchestral themes, tribal vocals, and an African bullhorn for the elephant migration episodes, and worked with native Hawaiian vocalist Pua Perkins on the humpback whale theme, which incorporates a traditional Hawaiian text about the whale (koholā). The Incredible Animal Journeys (Original Series Soundtrack) was released digitally by Hollywood Records on November 17, 2023, two days ahead of the show’s premiere.
Incredible Animal Journeys OST — Full Tracklist
Confirmed against the official Hollywood Records release (Qobuz, Apple Music, Spotify):
- Incredible Animal Journeys (2:02)
- Zebras I: Born to Run (5:01)
- Zebras II: Fending Family (3:35)
- Zebras III: Mara River (3:48)
- Dung Beetles: Dung for Days (2:27)
- Flamingos: Finding the Perfect Lake (3:06)
- Elephants I: Ele in the Hole (4:10)
- Elephants II: Relief of the Rain (2:53)
- Polar Bears I: Leaving the Den (3:30)
- Polar Bears II: Share Bears (5:49)
- Arctic Foxes: Reunion (4:45)
- Caribou I: Stay Vigilant (4:26)
- Caribou II: River Crossing (5:35)
- Humpback Whales I: Whalecome Little One (3:30)
- Humpback Whales II: The Great Feast (3:45)
- Christmas Island Crabs: Red Carpet (3:42)
- Green Turtles I: Race to the Water (3:58)
- Green Turtles II: The Final Push (3:42)
- Albatross I: The Wanderer (2:39)
- Albatross II: Soulmate (3:21)
- Albatross III: Until Next Year (3:21)
- Gentoo Penguins: It’s a Trap (3:33)
- Orcas: Skincare (4:06)
- Rockhoppers I: Ravenous (3:11)
- Rockhoppers II: Leap of Faith (2:29)
- Brown Bears I: Find Your Bearings (4:56)
- Brown Bears II: Lost & Found (4:19)
- Salmon: River Run (5:29)
- Eagles I: Time to Fly (3:05)
- Eagles II: Eagle Eye (4:12)
- Swallows I: The African Swallow (2:23)
- Swallows II: Back on the Farm (4:27)
- Hummingbirds: Flap Dance (2:58)
- Monarch Butterflies I: Flutterbys (2:53)
- Monarch Butterflies II: The Super Generation (2:54)
Where Can I Watch Incredible Animal Journeys?
Incredible Animal Journeys aired on National Geographic starting November 19, 2023, and has been streaming on Disney+ and Hulu since November 20, 2023. All seven episodes are available to stream now.
The soundtrack is available to stream on Amazon Music and Apple Music, as well as Spotify.
Official Trailer
(Sources: Deadline, ScreenRant, Film Music Reporter)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who narrates Incredible Animal Journeys?
Jeremy Renner narrates the series — his first foray into nature documentaries after roles in the Avengers films and Hawkeye.
Who composed the Incredible Animal Journeys soundtrack?
Jake Monaco composed the original score, released as a 35-track album by Hollywood Records on November 17, 2023.
Is James Cameron involved in Incredible Animal Journeys?
No. There is no verified connection between James Cameron and this series. The show is executive produced by Mark Brownlow and produced by UK company Plimsoll Productions for National Geographic and Disney+.
How many episodes does Incredible Animal Journeys have?
The series has seven episodes, each following different animals’ migrations, from zebras and elephants to polar bears, humpback whales, and monarch butterflies.
Where can I watch Incredible Animal Journeys?
All seven episodes are streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, and the series originally aired on National Geographic.
Related reading: Disney+ Hub | Hulu Hub | TV Soundtrack Hub