Peacockis set to air the first ever wildlife reality competition show.The Hungry Games: Alaska’s Big Bear Challengewill be narrated byRhys Darby. Unlike the namesakeHunger Games, however, the bears will mostly be competing against the elements, and not battling each other to the death. The series will be based on the popular “Fat Bear Week” tournament held by Katmai National Park and Preserve in southern Alaska that encourages viewers to choose their favorite fat bears as they pack on the pounds in preparation for the long, frigid Alaska winter.Deadline reportsthat the bears' activities will be filmed and edited into the three-episode series, which will then be narrated byFlight of the Conchordsstar Darby with a combination of color commentary and exciting bear facts.
New Zealand comedian Darby broke out playing Murray Hewitt, the ineffectual manager of musical comedy duoFlight of the Conchordson their self-titled HBO series. He is a regular in the works of fellow KiwiTaika Waititi, starring in his filmsWhat We Do in the Shadows,Hunt for the Wilderpeople, andNext Goal Wins. He recently starred opposite Waititi as pirateStede BonnetonOur Flag Means Death, which was canceled after two seasons on Max.
What is ‘Fat Bear Week’?
Every October, Katmai National Park holds Fat Bear Week, a week-long ‘competition’ which makes up a tournament bracket of the park’s resident bears, then invites participants to vote for their favorite bears to win as they gorge themselves on the park’s population of sockeye salmon. Bears can gain up to 500 pounds in the summer and fall as they prepare for hibernation, a process that can cost them up to a third of their weight as their body enters a state of suspended animation over the cold winter months. In 2021, the park introduced a secondary competition for the park’s bear cubs, Fat Bear Junior. In 2023, the tournament had 1.3 million participants worldwide; the competition helps draw attention to the park’s conservation efforts.
The Hungry Games: Alaska’s Big Bear Challengeis produced by Love Nature and Ample Entertainment.Alison BarratandJames Manfullexecutive produce for Love Nature;Ari Mark,Phil Lott, andDavid Brownexecutive produce for Ample Entertainment.
The Hungry Games: Alaska’s Big Bear Challengewill span three episodes, and will stream on Peacock;no release date has yet been set. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
