Will Smith Polar Expedition Documentary Revealed At 1 Billion Followers Summit

Will Smith has shared new insight into an upcoming pole-to-pole documentary series during the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026 in Dubai, describing an intense two‑year journey from the South Pole to the North Pole that will air as seven episodes on Disney and National Geographic from 14 January.

The American actor said the series tracks travel through extreme environments, including polar ice, deserts, jungles and remote cave systems, with specialists in venomous species and survival. The project also shows Smith skiing across frozen landscapes and scuba diving below ice sheets in the Arctic, while climbing mountains in different regions.

Speaking about the most demanding moments, Smith recalled diving under Arctic ice and handling a rare spider while experts extracted venom to show how medicine can emerge from dangerous places. "It was terrifying at times, but beautiful," Smith said to the audience during the summit session in Dubai.

Smith used these experiences to explain how personal growth linked to fear shaped the series. "From your darkest difficulty, right in the centre of the pain, is where the cure lives," he said. "If you are scared, you can not really enjoy this world. Fear is the greatest enemy of our wildest dreams," he added, noting that the journey taught techniques to steady the mind during periods of intense fear.

Although the series follows physical challenges, Smith said it also becomes an inner journey. Describing the programme as "heart-warming" and suitable for families, Smith said scientists, explorers and local communities encountered near the poles shaped the story and offered solutions for global issues. "The solution to many of Earth’s problems is there at the edges," he noted.

The summit session also focused on how ideas from the expedition link to sustainable urban planning. Smith appeared on stage with Faris Saeed, the driving force behind Dubai’s Sustainable City, after touring the development during the visit to the UAE and observing how residents live with environmental goals in mind.

Smith described Sustainable City as "a hidden gem in Dubai" and "a community awake to the idea of helping each other." Saeed said the visit generated noticeable enthusiasm among residents and guests, adding that people found Smith approachable and warm during meetings and informal conversations inside the neighbourhood.

Looking at future development, Saeed outlined plans for Sustainable City 2.0 as a model suited to a post‑AI period, where digital tools free time for human contact. Quoting Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Saeed said: "The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it and build it."

Saeed said the coming phase of urban design should prioritise people rather than technology. He predicted that more time and resources would become available, enabling planners to shape districts around social interaction instead of commuting. "In Sustainable City 2.0, social life is the core," Saeed said. "Sports, arts, culture and debate will shape everyday living."

The 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026 is organised by the UAE Government Media Office under the theme "Content for Good" and runs from 9 to 11 January across Emirates Towers, DIFC and the Museum of the Future in Dubai, providing the platform where Smith presented the pole‑to‑pole documentary and Saeed discussed the next stage of Sustainable City.

With inputs from WAM