Posted in: NBC, Peacock, TV | Tagged: the americas

The Americas: A Wild 250th Preview: Tom Hanks Narrates Birthday Event

NBC and Tom Hanks (Toy Story 5) are back with a special edition of the award-winning docuseries. Here's a look at The Americas: A Wild 250th.

Published Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:37:08 -0500

by Ray Flook

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Article Summary

The Americas: A Wild 250th premieres tonight on NBC, marking the U.S. 250th with a special docuseries event.
Tom Hanks returns to narrate The Americas: A Wild 250th, adding star power to NBC’s award-winning series.
The special spotlights iconic American wildlife, from bald eagles and bison to sea lions, tied to the nation’s story.
Get a quick preview of The Americas: A Wild 250th with the trailer, key details, and what to expect tonight.

If you're a fan of NBC's stunning 10-part event series The Americas, you have a lot to celebrate. Not only will Tom Hanks (Toy Story 5) be back to narrate the recently announced second season, but viewers can also look forward to two upcoming specials, with The Americas: Mother's Day in 2027. But tonight is about the award-winning docuseries celebrating the U.S.'s 250th birthday with tonight's special, The Americas: A Wild 250th. With Hanks back to narrate, we've got a special look at what's in store for tonight – including a trailer, overview, and image gallery:

The Americas: A Wild 250th Preview

The Americas: A Wild 250th is a new special celebrating the nation's milestone 250th birthday, showcasing iconic American species whose deep connection to the land and the nation's history has left an indelible mark on the country. From the majestic bald eagle to fearless bison and clever sea lions, each animal reflects a brave American spirit worth honoring.

An epic celebration awaits. 🌎 #TheAmericas: A Wild 250th premieres July 2 9/8c | NBC and next day on Peacock. pic.twitter.com/fjXGXX24cs

— NBC Entertainment (@nbc) July 1, 2026

: Pictured: Pacific Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) bull, Bristol Bay, Round Island, Alaska — (Photo by: Ingo Arndt/Minden/naturepl.com/BBC Studios)

: Pictured: Wandering salamanders breathe through their skin, which must be kept moist — (Photo by: BBC Studios)

: Pictured: — Pictured: Blue Whale, Monterey Bay, California — (Photo by: Chase Dekker/Minden/naturepl.com/BBC Studios)

: Pictured: Coast Redwood trees in fog, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, California — (Photo by: Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott/Minden/naturepl.com/BBC Studios)

: Pictured: The dramatic landscape of Monument Valley, Arizona, was formed by millions of years of erosion — (Photo by: BBC Studios)

: Pictured: The dramatic landscape of Monument Valley, Arizona, was formed by millions of years of erosion — (Photo by: Steve Cole / BBC Studios)

: Pictured: Plains bison, Nebraska. The largest of America’s land mammals, bulls can weigh in at a ton and stand six feet tall at the shoulder — (Photo by: Alex Wiles / BBC Studios)

: Pictured: Wandering salamander high in the branches of a redwood tree, Norther California — (Photo by: BBC Studios)

: Pictured: Male plains bison in rutting season, Custer State Park, South Dakota — (Photo by: BBC Studios)

: Pictured: Bald eagle on the lookout for fish to catch — (Photo by: Justin Ross/JR Photography/BBC Studios)

: Pictured: American alligator in the black, peat-stained waters of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge — (Photo by: BBC Studios)

: Pictured: A male burrowing owl may look fierce, but he's only 9 inches tall. City of Marco Island, Florida — (Photo by: BBC Studios)

: Pictured: The USA is blessed with some of the greatest natural wonders on earth. Yosemite National Park, and the Sierra Nevada Mountains — (Photo by: Ross Stone/Alamy)

: Pictured: Yosemite Falls, North America's tallest waterfall, and a UNESCO World Heritage site, California — (Photo by: Michael Runkel/Alamy)

: Pictured: From the steps of the Capitol, to every wild corner of the nation, we celebrate our 250th birthday — (Photo by: Nathaniel Gonzales/Alamy)

: Pictured: A male burrowing owl will call day and night to attract a mate. City of Marco Island, Florida — (Photo by: BBC Studios)

: Pictured: In remote Alaska, two little brown bear cubs have just been introduced to the wild, and are finding it a little scary — (Photo by: Jake Davis)

: Pictured: In Alaska's wilds, Coastal Brown Bears are among the largest on earth – up to twice the weigth of their inland grizzly cousins. They pack on weight over the summer, fuelled by nutritious salmon — (Photo by: Jake Davis)

: Pictured: This Brown Bear mom has two little cubs to keep safe. At 5 months old they've only recently left the safety of their den, and now they're learning to live in the wilds of coastal Alaska — (Photo by: Jake Davis)

: Pictured: In Alaska's remote wilderness, these twin brown bear cubs are newly out of the den, and at only 5 months old, rely on their mom for everything — (Photo by: Jake Davis)

: Pictured: Coastal Brown Bears flock to Alaska's rivers in search of salmon – and competition creates conflict — (Photo by: Jake Davis)

: Pictured: For generations the brown bears of Alaska have used humble trees to leave scent, and sort out the pecking order between them… and get a satisfying back scratch! — (Photo by: Jake Davis)

: Pictured: In Alaska's remote forests, the Bear Bulletin Board is where all the bears come to figure out who's around, how dominant they are, and therefore hopefully avoid a fight! — (Photo by: Jake Davis)

: Pictured: This little brown bear cub has not long emerged from the den, and at just 5 months old, everything in their Alaska home is a little overwhelming — (Photo by: Jake Davis)

: Pictured: This little burrowing owl is living the American Dream, in the suburbs of Marco Island, Florida — (Photo by: BBC Studios)

: Pictured: Bald eagle banking like a fighter jet — (Photo by: BBC Studios)

: Pictured: A coastal horses crosses between islands, Shackleford Banks, North Carolina — (Photo by: BBC Studios)

: Pictured: Coastal horse herd, Shackleford Banks, North Carolina — (Photo by: BBC Studios)

: Pictured: The USA is full of life, even in our cities. Here a pelican soars alongside the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California — (Photo by: Mitch Diamond/Getty)

: Pictured: A female bald eagle on the James River, Chesapeake Bay, Virginia — (Photo by: BBC Studios)

: Pictured: A female bald eagle on the James River, Chesapeake Bay, Virginia — (Photo by: BBC Studios)

NBC's The Americas is executive-produced by renowned Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning wildlife producer Mike Gunton (Life, Planet Earth II, Dynasties) for BBC Studios Natural History Unit, the best-known and most respected producers of natural history content in the world, in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group.

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