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If you think that the BBC is unmatched in its output of natural history documentaries, think again. In the last couple of years a new heavy hitter has arrived on the scene and it has had plenty of practice at pleasing audiences: Walt Disney. On Earth Day last year the Disneynature branch of the company released its first film: the epic-themed Earth. This year the studio followed up with Oceans and, in some overseas territories, The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos. Both have recently been committed to Blu-ray and they look absolutely stunning.

Oceans is exactly what the title suggests: an expansive documentary on ocean life that also touches on the relationship between humanity and the sea. Directed by Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud (Winged Migration) Oceans has a narrative that is broad and covers a lot of geographical territory in its feature-length running time. Hence, it doesn’t...

Walt Disney Studios has launched a new production banner, Disneynature, to produce nature documentaries for theatrical release.

The worldwide initiative will involve a number of its businesses, including publications, licensing, parks and educational outreach.

Disney veteran Jean-Francois Camilleri, who has served as senior vp and GM of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures France, will head the new unit. Disneynature will be based in France, where Camilleri and his team will oversee the initiation, development and acquisition of feature projects.

Disney also is assembling a team of filmmakers.

Producer-director Alastair Fothergill, whose credits include the Planet Earth series for the BBC and Discovery Channel, has entered a multipicture deal with Disneynature. His first release under the new banner is Earth, which is produced by BBC Worldwide and Greenlight Media and co-directed by Mark Linfield. Lensed while making Planet Earth, the feature Earth will be narrated by James Earl Jones and premiere theatrically in the domestic market on Earth Day, April 22, 2009. The film also will be released under the Disneynature banner in Latin America.

A hope also is that the features would "encourage people of all ages to play a bigger role in protecting what we now have," Disney CEO Robert Iger said.

Disneynature projects currently in development or production include:

-- "The Crimsom Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos," co-directed by Matthew Aeberhard and Leander Ward and produced by Paul Webster.