On the eve of his 99th birthday, Sir David Attenborough has released what he calls “one of the most important films of my career” — and it’s nothing short of a global wake-up call.
The legendary broadcaster and natural historian, known for decades of nature documentaries, is back with Ocean, a sweeping feature-length film set to hit cinemas on Thursday, May 8 before premiering on Disney+, National Geographic, and Hulu later this year.
But this isn’t just another beautifully shot nature documentary. It’s Attenborough’s strongest and most emotional plea to date — not just for the planet, but for the ocean, which he now calls “the most important place on Earth.”
“After almost 100 years on this planet, I now understand that the key to our survival lies not on land — but at sea.” — Sir David Attenborough, Ocean
A Career-Defining Message
Ocean is a co-production between Silverback Studios, OpenPlanet, Arksen, and other global environmental partners. It showcases breathtaking footage of coral reefs, kelp forests, and marine life — alongside stark, devastating imagery of bottom-trawling destruction, discarded bycatch, and climate-driven chaos.
“It’s hard to imagine a more wasteful way to catch fish,” Attenborough says, describing bottom-trawling — a practice that can destroy marine ecosystems, emit dangerous carbon, and catch hundreds of non-target species.
Still, Ocean is not without hope. In fact, it draws powerful comparisons between today’s crisis and the 1980s whaling ban, which helped some whale species rebound from near extinction.
“I thought we had lost the whales. But we brought them back. That gives me hope,” he says.
A Call to Global Action
Timed ahead of World Ocean Day in June and the UN Ocean Conference 2025 in Nice, the release of Ocean is strategic — and urgent. Attenborough hopes to influence global policy during the UN Decade of Ocean Science, pushing for marine protection and the full implementation of the 30×30 pledge: protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.
“Nearly every country on Earth has agreed to this, on paper. The challenge now is to make it real,” he urges.
Though Attenborough acknowledges he may not live to see the ocean recover, he believes children playing on beaches today still can — if we act now.
Ocean: A Legacy Film for Humanity
Ocean is more than a documentary — it’s a legacy statement from one of the planet’s most beloved voices. It blends awe, outrage, and urgent optimism to leave viewers with a choice: continue on the current path of destruction, or seize “the most consequential moment in the past 10,000 years.”
“This could be the moment of change,” Attenborough concludes. Ocean with David Attenborough premieres in cinemas globally May 8, with streaming releases to follow.
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