What would happen if you put Sir David Attenborough and a team of wildlife filmmakers in a time machine and set the dial to 66 million years ago to the end of the dinosaurs? An upcoming documentary series aims to provide visually stunning answers to that intriguing question.
On May 23, Apple TV+ will launch a five-night dinosaur show. The team behind nature documentaries like Planet Earth are the next best thing, because the series pairs them with the Moving Picture Company.
The result of this partnership is spectacular: scientifically accurate dinosaurs brought to life through computer-generated imagery, and shown behaving in ways never before seen in movies or television.
At a behind-the-scenes press tour, executive producer Mike Gunton said that these are not monsters.
Dinosaurs come to life in stunning footage.
Each of the five episodes of Prehistoric Planet will explore a different habitat, including coasts, deserts, freshwater lakes and rivers, icy landscapes and lush forests. In the episode devoted to creatures living in and around freshwater, you will see a rex gently nuzzles a potential mate during a moment of courting.
The scene shows a familiar dinosaur that everyone knows, but it is different than what we have become used to seeing with the T.
A study published in the journal Scientific Reports found evidence that tyrannosaurs had sensitive snouts that would have helped them perform delicate behaviors, such as gently picking up their eggs or nestling against the faces of other tyrannosaurs.
If you want to see teeth and claws, you will not be disappointed, as the series features a lot of dinosaurs. One episode shows a chase between a small pack of tyrannosaurs and a herd of Pachyrhinosaurus. There are details that may surprise the most die-hard dinosaur fan. The tyrannosaurs are from the same family as the polar bear lizard and the hunt takes place during a snowstorm.
The dinosaurs at the Poles lived in cold, snowy environments that were dark for most of the year, according to the show's chief scientific advisor.
The Prehistoric Planet pulls information from a variety of scientific disciplines.
The filmmakers give you reasons to root for the creatures, just like a modern nature documentary. In the deserts episode, you will see two male, long-necked sauropods fighting for the affection of females. A seasoned champion is challenged by a younger one in a dusty arena.
The on-screen action is accompanied by an original score by Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer, whose legendary music can be heard in films such as Gladiator.
To make the scenes feel more authentic, filming took place in real-world locations. This determination by filmmakers to make the show feel authentic is also reflected in how the animals were filmed.
The Prehistoric Planet is a global snapshot of life towards the end of the Cretaceous period, featuring not just dinosaurs but also birds, reptiles, amphibians and even mammals. The show recreates 95 different animals. Some species have familiar names but unfamiliar appearances that reflect improved understanding of the fossil record, such as the Velociraptor covered in feathers.
There are many animals viewers will be seeing for the first time, including a long-snouted stripy predator called Qianzhousaurus.
There is a good list of brand-new animals that have never been seen before.
Prehistoric Planet will be on Apple TV+ from May 23 to May 27. The Apple TV app can be used on a variety of devices.
It was originally published on Live Science.
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