Image Credit: Netflix
It’s been almost 50 years since Sir David Attenborough first encountered a playful baby mountain gorilla named Pablo in his seminal 1978 series Life on Earth. Now, Netflix is reuniting with the legendary broadcaster for a spectacular feature-length follow-up.
A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough to have world premiere 17 April 2026. Serving as a poignant bookend of that iconic wildlife encounter, the film brings audiences back to the mountains of Rwanda to follow the “Pablo Group” – direct descendants of the gorillas Attenborough met decades earlier.
A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough. Ten million. John Sparks / Nature Picture Library
behind the camera
The documentary features a powerhouse creative team. It is directed by Oscar winner James Reid (My Octopus Teacher) and co-directed by Callum Webster. Emmy-winning veteran Alistair Fothergill (Life on Our Planet) serves as producer, with Silverback Films producing in association with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way. Executive producers include Fothergill, DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson and Philip Watson.
The documentary series team worked closely with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and the Rwanda Development Board. The crew spent an unprecedented 250 shooting days in Volcanoes National Park.
As always with any new Attenborough documentary, this one is advocating for nature conservation, and he’s made some real progress. When Attenborough first famously visited Dian Fossey in 1978, heavy poaching had reduced the mountain gorilla population to just 250. Today, thanks to dedicated conservation efforts and a sustainable tourism model that returns 10% of earnings directly to local communities, more than 600 gorillas are thriving in Rwanda.
Piecing together 4K cinematography with archival footage, the film also features Attenborough reading directly from his personal 1978 journals. Fothergill said Attenborough, who turned 100 on May 8, just weeks after the film’s release, remained incredibly sharp, recording his entire 76-minute narration in a single, excellent afternoon session.
In the press notes, Netflix notes that amid the painstaking efforts of the crew involved, cameraman Ben Cherry used a custom, waist-level still-cam rig to capture fluid shots of the gorilla’s footsteps. Also, for the first time, the Rwandan government allowed the careful use of drones around animals after the crew spent a year and a half proving their passive behavior.
A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough. Ten million. Ben Cherry / Silverback Films / Netflix
meet the pablo group
The film promises to provide an intense character study that rivals the human drama, full of political power struggles, loyalties and shocking betrayals. Here’s a quick look at the gorilla family you’ll be following:
- Gikurashi (27): An aging, imposing silverback whose physical abilities—and leadership—are beginning to wane.
- Ubvuzu (19): An emerging silverback in peak physical condition, ready to challenge Gikurashi for the crown.
- teta(13): Leading lady. In gorilla society, the true power lies with the women, and their final choice of who to support determines the future of the family’s leadership.
- Imfura: A frustrated teenage silverback who commits an incredibly rare, never-before-filmed act of violence – an intragroup infanticide – which causes the rest of the family to dramatically ostracize him.
- UBI and Inyange: A playful two-year-old boy who serves as the group’s curious clown, and a six-year-old new immigrant woman who longs to join the family.
A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough arrives on Netflix on April 17. Will you be adding this surprising new documentary to your list? Let us know in the comments!
Image Credit: Netflix