Produced by Talesmith and co-produced with Sky, the series illustrates epic battles among the animal kingdom’s greatest rivalries
Blue Ant International oversees pre-sales and licensing outside of commissioning territories
Four part series to roll out on Love Nature globally and Sky Nature in the U.K., Germany and Italy
(Washington, USA – January 19, 2023) – Love Nature, a wildlife and nature brand with linear and streaming channels available in over 130 countries, announced today that it has greenlit a new original commission, Gladiators (4 x 60’; UHD & HDR) from the multi-award-winning production company, Talesmith. The series depicts life-defining battles among the animal kingdom’s greatest rivalries, infused with slow motion graphic effects that intensify the drama. Like gladiatorial battles, the animal showdowns are set in different wild “arenas” including the Pacific Northweset, African Savannah, jungle coasts and Australia.
“The stunning footage and fascinating effects in Gladiators bring intense battles to life with storytelling that will have audiences rooting for the underdog, while feeling the awe of the champion,” says Carlyn Staudt, General Manager, Love Nature. “We’re excited to be working with world class partners, including the talented team at Talesmith and our content and co-production partner, Sky.”
Gladiators, produced by Talesmith, will premiere globally on Love Nature in 2024. The series is a co-production with Sky and will also air on Sky Nature in the UK, Germany and Italy as part of Love Nature and Sky’s expanded content partnership. Blue Ant International oversees pre-sales and licensing outside of commissioning territories.
Ruth Roberts, Executive Producer, Talesmith comments: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with our great colleagues at Love Nature and Sky Nature on this ambitious series. Gladiators will be innovative, intimate natural-history storytelling at its best, with our team of incredible filmmakers capturing iconic moments in new detail and revealing previously hidden aspects of animal behavior.”
Gladiators breaks down wildlife battles moment by moment, revealing super slow-motion moments of unseen bravery between the prize-fighters. Stunning 4K footage is combined with techniques including stabilized drones and VFX-animated freeze-frames that drastically slow down time, capturing intimate, up close and rarely seen detail. The episodes also examine the aftermath of a battle, breaking down the use of weapons versus intelligence and the role of sidekicks versus armies, giving audiences an up-close look at the nuances and context of each ecosystem.
Gladiators is produced by Talesmith for Love Nature and Sky Nature. The series is executive produced by Martin Williams and Ruth Roberts at Talesmith with Alex Hemingway as showrunner. James Manfull executive produces the series on behalf of Love Nature. For Sky Nature, Tom Barry is the executive producer. Blue Ant International handles pre-sales and licensing opportunities in other available territories.
Love Nature, headquartered in Washington D.C. with offices in Los Angeles, London, Toronto and Singapore, is a wildlife and nature brand that brings audiences powerful stories about the natural world that foster a deeper understanding of and connection to the planet we call home. Our award winning library of 4K natural history series and documentaries are available on Love Nature’s branded linear and streaming platforms through partnerships with top-tier pay-TV platforms and streamers, reaching over 415 million households globally in 130+ countries. Engage with us at lovenature.com / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube / Instagram
Sky Nature launched in 2019 in the UK and Ireland, and can now be seen in Germany and Italy. Sky Nature is the destination for breath-taking natural history programming, dedicated to exploring the beauty and wonder of the natural world and inspiring us all to do more to look after it.
Blue Ant International is a leading worldwide distributor of high-quality, creative content that engages audiences worldwide and across multiple platforms. The company offers a full-service approach to production partners with sales operations in the U.S., UK and Canada. Blue Ant International has a growing slate of over 4,000 hours of premium content, including distinctive series and formats in five key genres including factual entertainment, specialist factual, high-impact documentaries, kids and family, and scripted. Blue Ant International also has one of the world’s largest offerings of 4K natural history content. Blue Ant International is a division of Blue Ant Media.
Talesmith is a UK-based multi-award-winning production company creating critically acclaimed premium factual content for broadcasters and streamers worldwide. Its BAFTA and Emmy-winning leadership team of Martin Williams, Ruth Roberts and Mark Wright has worked across some of television’s most successful shows of recent years, partnering with A-list talent including Sir David Attenborough, Prince William and President Obama and most recently Ukraine’s President Zelensky on an ambitious holographic global project. As an ambitious and innovative company, Talesmith constantly pushes the boundaries of storytelling, embracing new technologies and techniques.