Apple Orders Jon Favreau Natural-History Dinosaur Series From BBC Studios

By Stewart Clarke

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Apple has greenlit “Prehistoric Planet,” a natural-history series that will recreate the last days of the dinosaurs. Jon Favreau and “Planet Earth II” producer Mike Gunton are teaming on the series for Apple’s soon-to-launch streaming service. It will be produced by BBC Studios’ highly-regarded Natural History Unit, which is based in Bristol, England.

The show will use CGI to take viewers back in time, experiencing the wonders of planet Earth 66 million years ago. Double Academy Award winner Andrew R. Jones (“Avatar”) is also on the production team, as is producer Tim Walker.

The big-ticket natural history order comes after Apple unveiled a starry slate for its upcoming Apple TV Plus streaming service, which launches this fall. News of its international plans, however, has been thin on the ground. Former Channel 4 programming boss Jay Hunt is spearheading the international lineup from London, but little has been revealed about her first program orders.

Natural history is also emerging as a battleground in the streaming landscape. Netflix has locked in big-name producer James Honeyborne (“Blue Planet II”), and is enjoying acclaim for its David Attenborough-narrated series “Our Planet.” Discovery recently unveiled plans for a factual SVOD service, powered by blue-chip fare produced by the BBC.

Broadcast was first to report the “Prehistoric Planet” green light.