Will Smith Brings ‘Pole to Pole’ to Dubai for Landmark Middle East Premiere

The Hollywood icon arrives in the UAE to unveil his five-year, seven-continent journey exploring sustainability, resilience, and humanity’s connection with the planet

Global superstar Will Smith is set to touch down in Dubai next week for the Middle East premiere of Pole to Pole with Will Smith, National Geographic’s ambitious original docuseries that blends cinematic storytelling with urgent environmental themes. The red-carpet event will take place on January 9, 2026, at the SEE Institute in The Sustainable City — the region’s first net-zero emissions building — underscoring the project’s deep commitment to sustainability.

The Dubai premiere promises a Hollywood-style evening, complete with a private screening of an episode from the series and an exclusive live Q&A session with Smith, joined by the explorers and scientists who accompanied him throughout the extraordinary journey. The choice of venue is deliberate: The Sustainable City is globally recognised as a benchmark for eco-conscious urban living, integrating renewable energy, biodiversity protection, and circular economy principles.

Five years in the making, Pole to Pole with Will Smith is a seven-part documentary that follows the actor, producer, and musician across all seven continents on a 100-day expedition. From the frozen ice fields of Antarctica to the lush Amazon rainforest, the towering Himalayas, vast African deserts, remote Pacific islands, and the Arctic’s extreme conditions, Smith undertakes a series of physically and mentally demanding challenges. These include skiing to the South Pole and diving beneath the ice at the North Pole — feats that push him far beyond his comfort zone.

More than a travelogue, the series weaves together environmental storytelling, scientific insight, and deeply human experiences. Guided by leading scientists, seasoned explorers, and local communities, Smith shines a spotlight on the resilience, knowledge, and wisdom of those living on the front lines of climate change. Themes of sustainability, climate adaptation, and humanity’s evolving relationship with Earth are central to the narrative, offering both urgency and hope.

Reflecting on the project, Smith described the expedition as transformative. “This journey was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” he said, calling it both a physical and personal test that reshaped his perspective on the planet’s future and humanity’s role in protecting it.

Following its Dubai premiere, Pole to Pole with Will Smith will debut on National Geographic on January 13, with National Geographic Abu Dhabi airing the series on January 14. It will also be available to stream exclusively on Disney+ from January 14, bringing Smith’s globe-spanning journey — and its powerful environmental message — to audiences around the world.