Netflix is releasing a new documentary detailing the 10 ‘most pivotal’ turning points of World War II in full colour.
The streaming service recently acquired the rights to the 10-part documentary, titled Greatest Events of World War Two in HD Colour, and will broadcast it in 190 territories around the world.
The series hopes to bring a new perspective to the war, with never-before-seen colour footage of key events such as D-Day, the war in the Pacific, and the bombing of Hiroshima.
The new series, a follow-up to the Robert Powell-narrated World War Two in HD Colour, will be packaged as a Netflix Original. The documentary is a co-production between World Media Rights and Germany’s ZDF Enterprises, Deadline reports.
ZDF Enterprises describes the documentary’s storytelling as ‘gripping’ and ‘illustrated with exquisitely restored and colourised archived films’.
This archive footage, much of it previously unseen, has been acquired from nearly 40 sources – including rare library footage from Japan and Russia – and was processed using state-of-the-art colourisation software.
As per the television company’s website, the series will be ‘supported by a global cast of stellar historians [to] bring this crucially important era in history to life’.
Other events explored throughout Greatest Events of World War Two in HD Colour include: Germany’s ‘Lightning War’ on France; the RAF’s defence of Britain; the liberation of the death camps; and the Battle of Stalingrad. The episodes will be named after these events.
World Media Rights CEO Alan Griffiths, said:
We’re thrilled that Netflix is bringing Greatest Events of World War Two in HD Colour to their millions of subscribers. The series reveals unseen archive footage from the most perilous moments of WWII in remarkable colour that makes for compelling box-set viewing.
Griffiths is also the documentary’s executive producer, alongside David McNab, with the series also airing on Discovery in the UK, N-TV in Germany, and Planete+ in France.
This isn’t the only in-colour series World Media Rights is currently working on. Its upcoming series Royals in Colour will chart the struggle of royals around the world, from WWI to the present day, reports Variety.
It’s not yet known when either documentary will be released, but keep checking back here and we’ll keep you posted.
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A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).