National Geographic renews The Hot Zone for a second season; The Hot Zone: Anthrax will cover America's 2001 anthrax attacks and hunt for the suspect.

by Thinus Ferreira

National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220) has renewed The Hot Zone for a second season that was originally meant to be and that was billed as a limited series, with the new season that will cover the anthrax attacks in America in 2001.

The limited series - that now represents its first season, was broadcast in 2019 starring Julianna Margulies and chronicled the discovery of the Ebola virus in Africa.

Several sections of the first season of The Hot Zone set in various African countries were filmed in South Africa with a large and largely unrecognised South African cast, with Moonlighting Films that provided production services and crew in South Africa.

Kelly Sounders and Brian Peterson both return as showrunners and executive producers, with Touchstone Television, a division of Disney Television Studios, and Scott Free Productions producing.

The second season of The Hot Zone will tell the story of how letters of deadly anthrax - white powder - were sent to victims in Florida, Washington DC and in New York in America in which 5 people died and caused panic throughout the United States.

While letters started showing up, FBI agents and the country's justice department started tracking and tracing suspects.

"The gripping, propulsive story of the hunt for the anthrax killer who terrorized the country in the dark days that followed the September 11 attack couldn’t be more timely," says Carolyn Bernstein, National Geographic's executive vice president for global scripted content and documentary films.

"As the world battles Covid-19, another deadly and mysterious virus, The Hot Zone: Anthrax is a scientific thriller for our time."

Kelly Sounders says "While many of us can recall the breaking news headlines and the widespread fear that ensued when anthrax emerged in America, there are still layers to this story that have not yet been told".

"The second season of our anthology series will dive deep into the forensic investigation of a simple envelope that sent the entire Eastern Seaboard into a panic."

David W. Zucker, Scott Free Television president, says "After a terrific collaboration with our friends at National Geographic on The Hot Zone, we couldn’t be more excited to be back in business with the same stellar team for another season".

"All of us well remember the anthrax attacks in 2001, which rocked and terrified the country. We’re eager to tell this extraordinary story of all the drama that unfolded to overcome the attacks and identify the perpetrator."

National Geographic commissions Thai Cave Rescue film chronicling the 2018- rescue effort of the soccer boys trapped in a flooding cave.

National Geographic Documentary Films has commissioned a documentary film about the 2018-rescue of the youth soccer team from Thailand in early-July who became trapped in a flooding cave, with the working title, Thai Cave Rescue.

Thai Cave Rescue, with the Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald, will chronicle the 2 weeks that 12 boys and their assistant coach were stuck in the cave as rescuers tried to save them and a global audience watched the news.

Thai Cave Rescue will also explore the dangerous world of cave diving.

Thai Cave Rescue will have interviews with the British cave divers Richard Stanton, John Volanthen, Chris Jewell, Jason Mallinson, Connor Roe, Josh Bratchley and Jim Warny, in addition to in-depth interviews with Australian divers Dr Richard Harris and Craig Challen.

A diverse group of local citizens will be interviewed in the film as well.

Thai Cave Rescue is produced by Storyteller Productions and producers P.J. van Sandwijk and Michael Lesslie, the second production in a long-term strategic partnership between Storyteller Productions and Passion Pictures.

"This rescue mission is more than just a story of hope, it's a story of humanity coming together," says Kevin Macdonald. "This film will represent a full 360-degree view of the crisis, told through unexpected angles and with untold stories."

John Battsek, Passion Pictures producer, says "The inherent drama of this rescue captured the attention of the world like few recent events have. As producers, for P.J. and I to now have the opportunity to tell this remarkable story in partnership with the team at National Geographic Documentary Films - who have been responsible for some of the most successful and impactful feature documentaries of recent times - is extremely exciting."

Carolyn Bernstein, executive vice president of scripted content and documentary films for National Geographic National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220 / Cell C black 261), says: "I've long admired Kevin Macdonald's artistic vision and virtuosity when it comes to authentic storytelling".

"I'm elated to be working with him, John Battsek and P.J. van Sandwijk to help audiences better understand the complexities of this captivating story."

National Geographic greenlits new docu-drama series, Valley of the Boom, tracking Silicon Valley's boom-to-bust story in America's 1990s.

National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220) has ordered a new 6-episode scripted and documentary hybrid series, Valley of the Boom that will track the 1990's technology boom  - and bust - in the famed American tech-start-up region known as Silicon Valley.

Valley of the Boom has been created by Matthew Carnahan who will also be the director and showrunner, and will produce it together with Arianna Huffington who started The Huffington Post.

"The provocative world of Silicon Valley has long dominated headlines and captured the public's imagination," says Carolyn Bernstein, executive vice president and head of global scripted programming for National Geographic.

Valley of the Boom will premiere globally on National Geographic in 171 countries, including South Africa.

"We cannot wait to tell this timely, wildly unpredictable and captivating story of the early days of the dotcom boom and bust with showrunner Matthew Carnahan and his signature irreverent blend of drama, comedy and pathos."

Valley of the Boom will function like the MARS series, where a dramatised story is being played out, interspliced with real-world commentary from experts.

"We wanted to make something as disruptive and exciting as the people and the tech that came out of the Valley during this period, so this is a wild, hybridized, rule-breaking look at a truly remarkable time and place," says Matthew Carnahan.

"National Geographic has allowed us tremendous creative freedom, and I’m excited about making something truly new and different."

Arianna Huffington says "Silicon Valley and the technology that came out of it dominate our world in so many ways, both physically and culturally".

"But we can't understand the present without understanding how we got here. So I’m thrilled to be partnering with a master storyteller like Matthew Carnahan."

Antonio Banderas to play Pablo Picasso in the second season of Genius on National Geographic.

The Spanish-born Antonio Banderas will be portraying Pablo Picasso in the second season of Genius on National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220).

In June National Geographic from the FOX Networks Group announced that the second season of its anthology scripted drama series Genius will revolve around the life of the famed Spanish painter.

Production of the 10-episode second season, following the first season that covered Albert Einstein, will start within months and will be broadcast on National Geographic worldwide in 2018.

The prolific artist known for his "Blue Period" generated over 50 000 works in 80 of his 91 years and he had an intriguing life that intersected with artists, writers and other creators ranging from Coco Chanel and Henri Matisse to Jean Cocteau and Gertrude Stein.

The second season of Genius will continue to be produced by Fox 21 Television Studios, Imagine Entertainment's Brian Grazer and Ron Howard.

"The life story of Pablo Picasso has long since fascinated me and I have so much respect for this man, who also comes from my birthplace Malaga," says Antonio Banderas in a press release.

"I am thrilled to work with National Geographic and the rest of the Genius team to tell an authentic story of one of the most innovative painters in the world."

"Antonio was the natural choice. He, like Picasso, has a no-holds-barred approach to life that will add to the genuineness that we're looking for," says Ron Howard. "He has such tremendous range as an actor, who I know will bring this brilliant and unconventional artist to life."

"From Pancho Villa to Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, Antonio has had such a successful track record in portraying real-life, larger-than-life iconic figures with such honesty and depth. And with Picasso, I'm looking forward to seeing his interpretation of the man behind the artistic greatness, says Brian Grazer.

"Not only are they both from Malaga, Spain, but also similar to Picasso, Antonio exudes charisma and passion, and has challenged boundaries with his creative artistry," says Carolyn Bernstein, National Geographic vice president and head of global scripted programming. "He checks all the boxes for us and we couldn’t be more pleased to have him lead the series."

Johnny Flynn, Geoffrey Rush to play young, old versions of Albert Einstein in National Geographic Channel's first scripted TV series, Genius.

The South African born actor and musician Johnny Flynn and Geoffrey Rush will play a young and old version of Albert Einstein in National Geographic Channel's (DStv 181) first scripted TV series entitled Genius.

The first season of the Genius anthology series is based on Walter Isaacson's Albert Einstein biography, Einstein: His Life and Universe, and production will start next month (September) in Prague.

As with several other FOX channels and National Geographic Channel shows the past two years, the Albert Einstein series with 10 episodes will start in South Africa and 170 other countries on the National Geographic Channel simultaneously in 2017.

The Albert Einstein drama will tell the story of a young Albert Einstein, years before he rose to fame - a period during which he was a lowly patent clerk who couldn't get an academic job, and long before his famous research and equations.

Each episode of Genius will explore Albert Einstein's scientific achievements, along with his volatile, passionate and complex personal relationships.

"The caliber of the Genius cast lives up to the show's title," says Carolyn Bernstein, the executive vice president and head of global scripted development and production at the National Geographic Channel.

"The supremely talented Geoffrey Rush is dream casting for the role of Albert Einstein, and Johnny Flynn not only is an incredible talent but also bears more than a passing resemblance to Rush."

"National Geographic's unwavering commitment to excellence and their support and passion for this project has helped us attract talent such as Geoffrey and Johnny. My excitement for this project grows every day, and I cannot wait to get started," says executive producer Ron Howard in the statement, who will also be the director of the first episode of Genius.