Ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, National Geographic has released the trailer and key art for the newest installment of the Emmy Award-winning anthology series Genius: MLK/X.
For the first time, the docu-drama series explores the lives of two iconic geniuses: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
Two episodes will premiere weekly beginning Feb. 1 on National Geographic at 9/8c and will stream the next day on both Disney+ and Hulu.
The first episode of the new season, titled “Graduation,” will simulcast on ABC Feb. 1 at 9/8c.
Setting the series apart from other retellings, Genius: MLK/X simultaneously explores the formative years, pioneering accomplishments, dueling philosophies, and key personal relationships of both Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre).
While King advanced racial equality through nonviolent activism, X advocated for Black empowerment, identity, and self-determination.
The eight-part series also brings their wives, Coretta Scott King (Weruche Opia) and Betty Shabazz (Jayme Lawson), to the forefront and shows them as formidable equals of the Movement.
While King and X met only once and often challenged each other’s views, the two visionaries, with their wives leading by their sides, ultimately rose to pioneer a movement that lives on today.
For Imagine Television, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and Kristen Zolner are executive producers. For Undisputed Cinema, Reggie Rock Bythewood, Gina Prince-Bythewood, and Francie Calfo are executive producers.
Raphael Jackson Jr. and Damione Macedon are showrunners and executive producers. For Madison Wells, Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane serve as executive producers.
For EUE/Sokolow, Sam Sokolow is the executive producer. Jeff Stetson (The Meeting) penned the pilot and is executive producer. Channing Godfrey Peoples (Miss Juneteenth) directed the pilot episode and also served as co-executive producer.
Ambassador Shabazz served as a consulting producer. The series is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.