NBC renews natural history series ‘The Americas’ for a second season, Tom Hanks set to return as narrator

NBC has renewed its natural history series ‘The Americas’ for a second season, The Hollywood Reporter reported on June 25, 2026. The announcement continues the network’s emphasis on documentary-style programming centered on the natural world and regional ecosystems.

The Reporter said Tom Hanks is expected to return for the next season as the series narrator. Hanks’ voice has been a key part of the show’s on-screen identity, and the renewal keeps that creative decision in place heading into the next installment.

According to the report, the second season is set for a 2028 premiere. The gap between the renewal announcement and the scheduled debut places the production on a multi-year cycle, consistent with the planning and post-production timelines typically associated with nature and field filmmaking.

The renewal also extends NBC’s long-term content planning around non-scripted series that can carry viewership across demographic groups, particularly for family audiences that often watch documentaries on a shared schedule. NBC has not indicated a change in the show’s core concept with the renewal, and the report describes the next season in continuity with the first.

With a 2028 target date, the next phase will likely involve ongoing development, including production scheduling and editorial planning for additional episodes. Because the series is natural history, the work also depends on filming windows and access to locations across the regions the program covers, factors that can influence when scenes can be captured and how long post-production takes.

For Hanks, the return as narrator keeps a high-profile association with the project while the franchise moves into a new season. For NBC, the order provides additional runway for marketing and program positioning closer to the 2028 premiere rather than making near-term changes to current programming schedules.

The Reporter’s report framed the renewal as part of NBC’s continued investment in documentary content. As production approaches, further details on episode count, release dates within 2028, and additional creative personnel were not included in the initial announcement.

No additional terms of the renewal were detailed in the report, including whether the second season represents a change to the show’s format or distribution window. The network and the show’s production partners will be expected to provide further updates as the 2028 premiere approaches.