The four-part 2026 Netflix nature documentary miniseries, “The Dinosaur” is a gigantic show with a gigantic budget about gigantic creatures that once roamed the earth.
Using advanced CGI to explore the 165-million-year rise, and eventual extinction, of dinosaurs — from the Triassic to the Cretaceous period — this visually-stunning production serves as a successor to the eight-part 2023 Netflix documentary “Life on Our Planet,” which was narrated by the soothing voice of Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman and scored by Lorne Balfe.
Both Balfe and Freeman return for “The Dinosaurs,” as does executive producer Steven Spielberg.
Spielberg, of course, is famously connected to dinosaurs, through his blockbuster 1993 hit “Jurassic Park” and its ensuing franchise.
The four episodes of this docuseries — “Rise,” “Conquest,” “Empire,” and “Fall” — are directed by Nick Shoolingin-Jordan, Jolyon Sutcliffe, Amber Cherry Eames, and Darren Williams respectively. Each brings a distinct visual and narrative approach to their stage of the dinosaurs’ evolution and dominance.
The story traces the rise of early dinosaur ancestors in a hostile prehistoric world, their expansion after a mass extinction event, and the height of their dominance across land, sea, and air. It ultimately builds toward their decline, as environmental shifts and a looming cosmic threat bring an end to their reign.
I watched the series nightly for a week — in short bursts because I often paused to do a deep dive on the creatures mentioned. Its vibe made me sleepy — in the best way. It became my nighttime story.
