Disney Plus Preps Nonfiction Slate With New Marvel Show, Nature Series

Disney+ is taking steps to build out its nonfiction programming slate. The forthcoming streaming service has signed a multi-year production deal with David Gelb, Brian McGinn, and Jason Sterman of Supper Club, the production company behind critically-acclaimed titles including Chef’s Table, 13th, and Five Came Back. The first nonfiction titles produced under the deal will be Marvel’s 616 (still a working title), a docu-series about the Marvel Universe, and Earthkeepers (also a working title), a wildlife conservation series. While these series are set to debut on Disney+, Supper Club will also be producing content for other Disney-owned platforms and networks like Hulu and ABC.
Supper Club has a strong reputation in the nonfiction space. In the last three years, the company has been nominated for nine Emmys, winning two, including for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special (Ava DuVernay’s 13th). In addition to 13th, Gelb, McGinn, and Sterman have also produced Netflix’s Chef’s Table franchise, documentaries Amanda Knox and Jiro Dreams of Sushi, Will Ferrell’s Ferrell Takes the Field, and more.
The company’s first original series for Disney+ will be Marvel’s 616 and Earthkeepers, both documentary-based. According to Disney, Marvel’s 616 is “an anthological documentary series exploring the intersection between Marvel’s rich legacy of stories, characters and creators and the world outside your window.” A co-production with Marvel New Media, Marvel’s 616 will “dive into the rich historical, cultural and societal context that has become inseparable from stories of the Marvel Universe.”
Disney describes Earthkeepers as “a cinematic documentary series that centers on the adventurous lives of the people changing the way we see the animal kingdom. The episodes focus on conservationists and the animals they’ve devoted their career to studying, diving deep into the personal trials and professional breakthroughs of protecting the planet’s most endangered species.”

“We are thrilled Jason, David and Brian will bring their distinct perspectives and genuine narrative vision exclusively to Disney,” said Disney+ senior vice president of content Agnes Chu. “As some of the world’s greatest nonfiction storytellers, Supper Club will be a crucial, creative force for Disney+ as we build a platform for compelling, personal, and authentic programming.”

“The storytelling legacy of The Walt Disney Company had a formative and lasting impact on us growing up, and we are honored to be welcomed into this exciting new chapter of such a storied studio,” said Supper Club’s Jason Sterman. “To become a part of the Disney family is any filmmaker’s dream, and David, Brian and I are looking forward to working alongside Ricky, Agnes, Dan and the entire Disney+ team to bring audiences dynamic new nonfiction stories from all of Disney’s legendary brands.”