Coinciding with his 99th birthday, next week Sir David Attenborough is set to release Ocean, a powerful new documentary that explores the health of the world’s oceans and his reflections on a life nearing its final chapter.
Set to premiere globally on May 8, 2025, the film marks a milestone not only in Attenborough’s extraordinary career but also in his personal journey, as the legendary broadcaster and natural historian turns 99.
In the documentary, Attenborough draws a poignant parallel between the evolving relationship humanity has had with the ocean and the passage of his own life.
“When I first saw the sea as a young boy, it was thought of as a vast wilderness to be tamed and mastered for the benefit of humanity,” he says. “Now, as I approach the end of my life, we know the opposite is true.”
After nearly a century of observing the natural world, Attenborough calls the ocean “Earth’s support system” and “our greatest asset against climate change,” highlighting its crucial role in sustaining planetary health.
“Today, it is in such poor health I would find it hard not to lose hope were it not for the most remarkable discovery of all,” he says in the film, before emphasising the ocean’s capacity for renewal. “If we save the sea, we save our world.”
Featuring stunning footage of coral reefs, kelp forests, and vast open waters, Ocean serves as both a visual celebration of marine life and a powerful call to action. Attenborough’s narration urges global conservation efforts while offering a message of hope: the ocean can recover—if we act.
“After a lifetime of filming our planet, I’m sure nothing is more important,” he concludes.
Spanning seven decades of environmental storytelling, Ocean may be Sir David’s most personal and urgent documentary yet—a legacy project from one of the world’s most trusted voices in science and nature.
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