PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, BLACKPINK, DESMOND TUTU, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, SUNDAR PICHAI, THE MUPPETS AND MANY MORE HEADLINE NEW MULTI-HOUR SPECIAL "DEAR EARTH" KICKING OFF YOUTUBE ORIGINALS' OCTOBER SUSTAINABILITY SLATE -- ANNOUNCED TODAY AT SUMMER TCA PRESS TOUR 2021

YOUTUBE ORIGINALS ACQUIRES GLOBAL RIGHTS TO TOM PETTY FEATURE LENGTH DOCUMENTARY; GREENLIGHTS "TAB TIME" STARRING TABITHA BROWN AND COMPETITION COMEDY SERIES "COPY THAT!"; AND ORDERS THIRD INSTALLMENT FOR ONE OF YOUTUBE ORIGINALS' MOST VIEWED LIVE EVENTS "THE CREATOR GAMES PRESENTED BY MRBEAST"

"SUPREME MODELS" FROM YOUTUBE BLACK VOICES FUND FURTHER ELEVATES COMPANY'S COMMITMENT TO DIVERSE ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING

LOS ANGELES, CA, September 23, 2021 -- YouTube Originals announced new and returning original programming and presented panels on two upcoming series launching soon: "Noted: Alicia Keys The Untold Stories," an intimate performance docuseries about the celebrated artist, and from the YouTube Black Voices Fund, "The Outsiders?," a new docuseries produced and directed by Simon Frederick ("Black Is The New Black") at today's Television Critics Association's (TCA) 2021 Summer Press Tour session. The new slate reaffirms the global platform's pledge to provide viewers across the globe with content that taps into today's most important timely conversations and zeitgeist moments - all while spotlighting inspiring YouTube creators, music artists, and public figures who share authentic stories centered on music, personalities, learning and families.

During today's TCA session, Susanne Daniels, YouTube's Global Head of Original Content, announced "Dear Earth," a global, multi-hour celebration of the planet featuring a wide-range of global leaders like President Barack Obama, Pope Francis, Desmond Tutu and CEO of Google and Alphabet Sundar Pichai, celebrities, musicians and performers including Anitta, Billie Eilish, BLACKPINK, Jaden Smith, Lil Dicky + GaTa, Marsai Martin, The Muppets, Tinashe, and SpongeBob SquarePants, as well as YouTube creators AsapSCIENCE, Brave Wilderness, Bretman Rock, Dream, Jack Harries, Odd1sOut, Physics Girl and ZHC. Following the format of last year's impactful "Dear Class of 2020," "Dear Earth" premieres October 23 and kicks off YouTube Originals October programming focused on Sustainability.

Among the other key announcements: a new feature length documentary "Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers" offering a personal look into making his most celebrated album Wildflowers; "Tab Time" a new preschool series with Tabitha Brown focused on themes such as gratitude, mindfulness, service, community and culture; "Supreme Models" showing the importance of Black models, fashion designers, and editors, and their impact on fashion and society; two additional sustainability projects, "Signals," a live-action and animation hybrid that tells the abridged story of the planet's relationship with plastics, and "Climate Games," a two-part special that features content creators and elite athletes delivering key climate messages with spectacular challenges; "Copy That!" a competition comedy series where four star YouTube creators compete against each other outside of their comfort zones; and "The Creator Games 3 Presented By MrBeast" where MrBeast returns for the third installment of his record-breaking event featuring YouTube creators competing in a set of challenges to win $500,000.

More information on YouTube Originals' new projects announced today at the 2021 TCA Summer Press Tour include:

"Dear Earth" - Premieres October 23 - Set a Reminder HERE

In the lead up to the UN's Climate Change Conference (COP 26), "Dear Earth" kicks off a series of sustainability-themed YouTube Originals programming with a multi-hour, global celebration of the planet. Featuring inspirational keynote addresses, musical performances, special appearances and comedic shorts "Dear Earth" will address sustainability challenges the world faces and offer solutions that can be adopted to inspire change. A wide-range of global leaders, celebrities, musicians, and creators will join the special event to help educate, inspire and motivate audiences to create a better, healthier, fairer existence for the planet we inhabit. "Dear Earth" is produced by Done + Dusted, Strong Brew and Silverback Films.

"Climate Games" - Premieres October 23

"Climate Games" follows content creators and elite athletes over two special episodes as they undertake spectacular challenges designed to deliver a key climate message. Skier JT Holmes and creator Psychics Girl team up to measure how quickly the ice is melting on the snowy mountains of British Columbia, and world champion BMX rider Danny Mcaskill is given free reign at a renewable energy factory where he attempts a series of tricks designed to demonstrate the percentage of the world's energy that currently comes from renewable sources. "Climate Game" is a Studio Silverback Production with Executive Producers Colin Butfield & Jonnie Hughes, and series producer Ben Duncan.

"Signals" - Premieres October 28

"Signals" is the abridged story of our relationship with plastic - from the origins and lifecycle of a plastic bottle to the myths of recycling. A live-action and animation mash-up, told through a series of chapters, "Signals" is a call to action for the internet age. Produced by artists and activists from around the world (Japan, Hawaii and the United States, South Africa, Indonesia, Netherlands, Germany, and more), each chapter also takes on a different format - from stop-motion animation to photorealistic CG to live-action comedy. "Signals" stars Bretman Rock as a plastic bottle and is created by Mackenzie Sheppard (Cannes Young Director Award winner) and Kaz Firpo (Eternals), who co-produced with Airi Yamawaki.

"Copy That!" - Premieres November 8

In this five-part competition comedy series, four star YouTube creators each with a different, incredible skill, will step out of their comfort zones and attempt to copy their fellow creators' area of expertise. Sofie Dossi (6.21M subscribers), Lisette aka Luhhsetty (3.15M subscribers), Rosanna Pansino (13M subscribers) and Preston (17.9M subscribers) will demo their gaming, cooking, dancing, or beauty and makeup mastery in a blur of action and charisma... and then, it is up to the other star creators to COPY THAT! and nail their own version. Whether it be a delectable crêpe cake, make-up demos, or jaw dropping dance routines... the other star creators will be in over their heads trying to create their own magic in a space they know little about. "Copy That!" is produced by Sony Pictures Television and executive produced by Charles Wachter.

"Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers" - Premieres Later This Year - Watch a First Look HERE

"Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free" offers a unique take on the Petty legacy, diving deep into a condensed period of creativity and freedom for the legendary rock star. Capturing the period of 1993-1995, during which he created his seminal and most emotionally raw album Wildflowers, the unvarnished look at Petty features never-before-seen footage drawn from a newly discovered archive of 16mm film as well as new interviews with album co-producers Rick Rubin and Heartbreaker Mike Campbell, along with original Heartbreaker Benmont Tench. Director Mary Wharton illuminates an artist at the height of his powers, providing an intimate and emotional look at an enigmatic icon with archival footage of Petty and his band in the recording studio, behind-the-scenes on tour, and at home with his family, providing a view of Tom Petty as he has never been seen before. The film first debuted in March as an Official SXSW 2021 Selection, winning the festival's Audience Award, and will see its theatrical release on October 20 (Tom's birthday) for a one-night global celebration via Trafalgar Releasing, with encore screenings in select cinemas on October 21. "Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers" is produced by Peter Afterman with executive producers Dan Braun, Mary Wharton and Adria Petty and presented by Inaudible Films, Warner Music Entertainment (Warner Music Group's TV and Film division), and Warner Records.

"Tab Time" - Premieres Later This Year

"Tab Time" is a preschool series starring Tabitha Brown, an actress and vegan foodie who has become one of the most visible social media personalities today. Tabitha or "Ms. Tab" as the kids call her, taps into her natural capabilities as a cook, story teller, mom and motivational leader, to teach children how to live their best life. Through themes such as gratitude, mindfulness, service, community, and culture, Tabitha keeps topics engaging and dynamic. "Tab Time" fosters a fun and inviting environment where kids are encouraged to realize their own abilities and potential. The series is produced by Kids at Play and Scale Productions, and is directed by Henry Saine with Lorien McKenna as showrunner. "Tab Time" will launch on the Tabitha Brown YouTube channel and the YouTube Kids app.

"Supreme Models" - Premieres Fall 2022

Inspired by Marcellus Reynolds's revelatory book Supreme Models: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Fashion, this six-part limited series from R.J. Cutler's This Machine and supermodel Iman, will pay tribute to the Black women who broke down barriers and transformed the fashion and beauty industries. Executive Produced by Cutler ("The September Issue"), Iman, Jane Cha Cutler ("Project Runway"), Douglas Keeve ("Unzipped"), Rolake Bamgbose ("The Day Sports Stood Still"), and Donny Jackson ("United Shades of America"), the series will feature personal stories from industry legends who will illuminate and celebrate the fight for representation for models and the astounding creativity and vision of some of the most celebrated Black designers, fashion editors, and entrepreneurs of the last several decades. In its look back to critical moments of impact in the past, the new series will expose how these beautiful trailblazers challenged and overcame multiple systems of racial oppression and sexism. This dramatic, emotional and visually stunning series is an insider glimpse at how, with the consummate grace and power of a strut down the runway, these superstars became household names and idols for a new generation of Black women. "Supreme Models" will be executive produced for This Machine (an Industrial Media Company) by Trevor Smith.

Other upcoming projects highlighted at TCA include:

"BookTube Jr." - Premieres September 24 - Watch the official trailer HERE

Building on the success of "BookTube," where viewers saw the world's biggest authors (President Obama, Michelle Obama, Malcolm Gladwell, Margaret Atwood) come together to discuss their books, "BookTube Jr." will feature the biggest children's book authors including Max Greenfield, Joanna Ho, Dr. Ibram x. Kendi, Jon Klassen, Avery Monsen, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Todd Parr and Marcus Smith II, who will talk about their books and their process. The authors will hear kids' questions about their books and aim to inspire the younger generation to continue their exploration of the author off screen. "BookTube Jr." will launch on YouTube Originals for Kids and Family and the YouTube Kids app.

"I Promise" - Premieres September 28 - Watch the official trailer HERE

This feature-length documentary tells the story of LeBron James' efforts to close the achievement gap in his hometown of Akron, Ohio through the eyes of the inspiring students who are resetting expectations of their futures. The film explores the day-to-day trials, triumphs, and life-changing impact of the school staff, students and families working together in a unique, family-first educational environment that embraces the trauma and challenges many face in Akron. The documentary is directed by award-winning filmmaker, Marc Levin who will also serve as executive producer alongside Jamal Henderson, Philip Byron, Nicholas Lopez, Daniel B. Levin, Catherine Cyr, and Josh Gold. LeBron James and Maverick Carter will serve as executive producers on the documentary with their empowerment-led media conglomerate The SpringHill Company.

"Noted: Alicia Keys The Untold Stories" - Premieres September 30 - Watch the official trailer HERE

While ramping up to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Songs in A Minor and heading into the studio to record her 8th and most personal record to date, GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter, producer, and author Alicia Keys invites her fans to peer into her world like never before. In partnership with Westbrook Media, Keys serves up "Noted," a four-part, intimate performance docuseries comprised of breathtaking visual displays of introspection. Informed by life defining memories and meaningful conversations with loved ones, Alicia will bring you into a whole new experience combining the documentary and performance worlds in a way you've never quite before seen. "Noted: Alicia Keys The Untold Stories" is produced by Alicia Keys and directed by TT The Artist. The series is produced by Jason Bergh and Westbrook Media's Lukas Kaiser, Brad Haugen and Jae Trevits.

"The Outsiders?" - Premieres October 4 - Watch the official trailer HERE

This new six-part docuseries from visionary filmmaker and photographer Simon Frederick brings to life the Black experience through stories and personal anecdotes of a seminal cast of young Black actors, musicians, creators, artists, and personalities that are shaping popular culture as we know it. "The Outsiders?" challenges notions that anti-Black sentiment is a national or regional issue, weaving the cast's experiences into a cohesive set of themes that underscore the universal nature of what it means to be Black around the world. The cast's revealing truths and untold stories are tragic, thought-provoking, and inspiring. From the YouTube Black Voices fund, "The Outsiders?" premieres globally on October 4.

"Onyx Family Dinner" - Premieres October 20

This new series gathers the multi-generational family from the well known Onyx Family YouTube channel, for plenty of fun and open conversations about life and what's going on in the world over dinner. Weekly dinner guests broaden the conversation with different perspectives, thought provoking stories, subject matter expertise and valuable insights. "Onyx Family Dinner" is Produced by Pocket.watch in association with Shine Global and executive produced by Keith Brown, Albie Hecht, the Onyx Family and Chris M.Williams.

Will Smith's "Best Shape of My Life" - Five-Day Event Premieres November 8

This emotionally packed six-part unscripted series from Westbrook Media and YouTube Originals peels back the curtain on what makes Will Smith truly tick as he is pushed to his limits physically, mentally, and emotionally. What starts as a docu-follow about Will's desire to go from the "worst shape" of his life to a new movie star body evolved into a deeper, darker and more profound journey into Will's psyche. With "Best Shape of My Life," Will finds himself questioning the very behaviors that have led to his success - and ultimately it's on this search where his healing can begin. The series is co-showrun by Westbrook's Lukas Kaiser (The Fresh Prince Reunion) and co-showrun and directed by Dexton Deboree, the visionary creative behind Unbanned and Promiseland. This marks Will Smith's second project with YouTube Originals. In his first, "Will Smith: The Jump," he accepted the ultimate challenge to bungee jump from a helicopter over the Grand Canyon on his 50th birthday for charity in 2018, resulting in nearly 18M views in the first 48 hours.

"Home Courts" - Premieres Later This Year

In this special, rapper and basketball lover Quavo explores the city of Atlanta through the lens of famous local streetball courts. With the help of local athletes and celebrities who call this city home, viewers will learn about the role basketball courts play for local communities at large, important historical moments centered there, and the little-known stories of the players who left this little swath of asphalt to go pro. "Home Courts" is based on a Quavo original idea and produced by Critical Content, with Tom Forman, Jenny Daly, Quavo, and Brian Sher serving as Executive Producers.

"Bear Witness, Take Action" - New Installment Premieres Later This Year

A third installment of "Bear Witness, Take Action," will focus on issues and stories as seen through notable Black creators' perspectives, with bespoke content pieces that take a deeper dive into the conversation of equity and racial justice as seen through the lens of the creators' own experiences. The first two installments of "Bear Witness, Take Action" premiered in 2020, and the special was the first project to come from the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund dedicated to amplifying and developing the voices of Black creators and artists and their stories. "Bear Witness, Take Action 3" is produced by Hoorae Media and Fly On The Wall.

"Instant Influencer with ZHC" - Premieres Fall 2021

Hosted by YouTube creator and art influencer ZHC, "Instant Influencer with ZHC" brings 10 artists together to test their creativity through a variety of challenges. From YouTube creator collaborations to customization endurance challenges, viewers will see who has what it takes to be the last artist standing. The eight episode series will see ZHC crown one up-and-coming Art creator as the winner of Instant Influencer and take home the $100,000 cash prize.

"Liza On Demand" Season 3 - Premieres Fall 2021

"Liza on Demand'' follows the comedic misadventures of Liza (Liza Koshy) and her roommates-slash-best-friends, Harlow (Kimiko Glenn) and Oliver (Travis Coles), as they wade through the highs and lows of their 20s. In Seasons 1 and 2, Liza attempts to make a career working in the gig economy, each week winding up in a different odd job - from DNA sequencing to garage organizing to professional funeral crying (yep, real thing!). Meanwhile, her roommates are dealing with their own burgeoning careers: Oliver in real estate and Harlow as a professional dog Instagrammer/influencer. Season 3 finds our trio with a new apartment on the west side, and facing newer challenges from conspiracy theories to wellness cults to yet another pandemic, Liza and her friends will try to navigate the insanity that is modern-day life in Los Angeles.

"The Creator Games 3 Presented By MrBeast" - Premieres December 2021

MrBeast returns for the third installment of "The Creator Games" with 15 YouTube creators competing in a set of challenges to win $500,000. Winners of each first-round challenge will advance to the second round of the two-part series, where the top 10 creators will compete in a Hide and Seek challenge with the last one found winning the prize.

Susanne Daniels is Global Head of Original Content for YouTube. Nadine Zylstra serves as Head of Family, Learning and Impact for YouTube Originals and Alex Piper serves as Head of Unscripted for YouTube Originals.

About YouTube Originals:

YouTube Originals are award-winning series, specials and livestream events for YouTube's two billion active monthly users that entertain, inspire, connect, and educate audiences through authentic storytelling from YouTube creators, music artists and celebrities. By tapping into the platform's growing global community, fan engagement product capabilities, and innovative content, YouTube Originals amplify the most popular and unique aspects of YouTube. Fans can experience YouTube Originals content for free through the standard YouTube platform (ad-supported), or through a paid subscription to YouTube Premium, which adds ad-free, bonus/exclusive content, and early binge access to select programming. YouTube Originals are available in over 100 countries worldwide. Keep up with the latest YouTube news by visiting the global platform's official blog at https://blog.youtube/.