Make sure to catch the new series on Disney+ or Hulu. Credit to National Geographic.
Los Angeles, California (May 27, 2025)- For over a century, National Geographic has captured the majesty of the animal kingdom’s A-listers—whales breaching in slow motion, penguins waddling into our hearts, and elephants trumpeting their way across the savannah. But this summer, it’s time for the misfits to shine. Enter Underdogs, a five-part wildlife series narrated by Ryan Reynolds that trades glamour for grit, spotlighting the forgotten and often misunderstood creatures of the natural world.
Premiering June 15 at 9/8c on National Geographic—also simulcast on ABC and streaming next day on Disney+ and Hulu—Underdogs is what happens when Emmy®-winning filmmakers Wildstar (a Fremantle company) team up with Reynolds’ Maximum Effort. The result? A visually stunning, sharp-witted nature docuseries that gives center stage to the animals that rarely make it to the glossy covers of magazines.
“This was a dream come true—mostly because I can finally watch something we made with my kids,” Reynolds said. “Technically, they saw Deadpool & Wolverine… but I don’t think they absorbed much while covering their eyes and ears and screaming for two hours.”
Each Underdogs episode dives into the strange, hilarious, and shockingly effective behaviors of nature’s least celebrated species. We meet creatures like the pistol shrimp, whose bubble blast reaches temperatures rivaling the sun, and the fungus gnat larva, whose glowing, mucus-coated butt lights up a New Zealand cave like an EDM club. These oddballs may not have the grace of a gazelle or the bite of a great white, but they’ve got their own genius for survival—and Reynolds is more than happy to narrate their antics with irreverent charm.
In “Superzeroes,” we meet animals whose seemingly lame abilities turn out to be their greatest strengths—from the glass frog that hides in plain sight to the honey badger who simply refuses to die. “Terrible Parents” showcases what might be the world’s worst moms and dads, like the koala that feeds its baby poop. “Sexy Beasts” explores the absurd world of animal courtship, including flirtatious flying foxes and overly enthusiastic turkeys. “The Unusual Suspects” introduces us to sneaky survivalists—like the con-artist macaque who scams snacks from tourists—and in “Total Grossout,” Reynolds walks us through a lineup of animals whose tactics are as disgusting as they are effective.
Matching the show’s wild visuals is a standout soundtrack. Legendary composer Harry Gregson-Williams (Shrek, The Martian) provides the score, available June 13 via Hollywood Records. Punk rock legends Green Day also contribute the original theme song, “Underdog,” featured on the deluxe edition of their latest album Saviors—also out now.
Produced by Wildstar in partnership with Maximum Effort, Underdogs is helmed by a powerhouse team including Reynolds, George Dewey, Vanessa Berlowitz, Mark Linfield, and more. It’s bold, smart, weird—and exactly what nature lovers didn’t know they were waiting for.
Forget the lions and the leopards. This summer, the grubs, gobies, and glow-butt gnats are taking over. And they’ve never looked (or sounded) this good.
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