People Are Wondering About Will Smith's Paycheck for His New Travel Series 'Pole to Pole'

In 2022, Will Smith's on-stage Oscars slap was all anyone could talk about. Many wondered whether it was staged, what happened behind closed doors, and most importantly, what Will would do next.

In response to the incident, Will was banned from the Oscars for 10 years, and some of his projects were put on hold. His big-budget film, Emancipation, didn't do well at the box office, to boot. However, his company did retain its five-year first-look deal with National Geographic, and in 2026, Will is releasing a new non-fiction series.

The new travel docu-series will follow Will for 100 days as he takes on challenges like climbing mountains and "taking on wild creatures," per IMDb. He'll meet with scientists, explorers, and local experts, who will help him on his 26,000-mile journey from the South Pole to the North Pole. The series was inspired by his late mentor, Dr. Allen Counter.

Dr. Allen was a neurology professor at Harvard Medical School and a "noted explorer," according to The Guardian. The Guardian's review of the series notes that the series is "gorgeous" and "thrilling," and that Will is charming as the host.

It's hard to say exactly how much Will Smith is getting paid for his new docuseries, since the financial information is not available online. However, for context, Will made at least $20 million for playing the Genie in Aladdin, according to Parade. He reportedly made $27 million for Bright and $40 million for King Richard, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. That's a big jump from $2.8 million for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Distractify reported in 2022 that Will's net worth was approximately $350 million when taking his various projects into account.

In the series, Will travels across all seven continents — touching on the Himalayan mountains, African deserts, the Pacific islands, Arctic icebergs, and the Amazon rainforest, per ABC.

Prepare to watch Will catch an anaconda, milk a tarantula, and dive under ice at the North Pole. ABC calls it "an epic global undertaking defined by endurance, wonder, and hope."

Will said, "This journey was unlike anything I've ever done — at times I feared I might not make it home! It's an exploration not just of the planet's edges, but of some of the most extraordinary people living there."

On Rotten Tomatoes, Pole to Pole got a 100 percent critic score and a 67 percent audience score. Critics called Will "unexpectedly warm" and said that he mixes humor and relatability with Nat Geo's stunning wildlife cinematography.

Audience reviews are mixed, with some folks praising Will's "rawness" and vulnerability, and others complaining that the show leans too heavily on Will's personal story and perspective.

However, almost everyone seems to agree that the cinematography and natural landscapes are remarkable.

Pole to Pole is available to stream now on National Geographic, Hulu, and Disney+.