EXCLUSIVE: Nat Geo has bought the BBC‘s docu-drama about the sinking of the Titanic.

Titanic Sinks Tonight tells the story of the final hours of the most famous sea disaster of all time. From the crucial seconds before the ship hit the iceberg, to the final moments when the hull sank beneath the waves, the show uses virtual production technology to piece together the events, in real time, to reveal exactly what happened to the 2,208 passengers and crew on the night of April 14, 1912. It recreates dramatic elements using actors from Northern Ireland and combines this with documentary testimony.

Coming nearly 30 years after the hit blockbuster starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, Titanic Sinks Tonight is the BBC’s most-watched doc of 2025-26 so far, according to its seller Sony Pictures Television (SPT).

Titanic Sinks Tonight has sold to Nat Geo in the States, where it will launch June 22, while MGM+ has acquired in multiple territories including Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. HBO Max has aired the series across Latin America and BeIN has acquired for the Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye. The series has also sold to TVNZ (New Zealand), NOW TV (Hong Kong SAR), KT Genie TV (South Korea), WOWOW (Japan), RTE (Ireland), TV2 (Hungary), Telia Estonia (Estonia), Telia Play (Lithuania), Tet+ (Latvia), DR (Denmark), NRK (Norway), and SVT (Sweden).

Nat Geo has aired plenty of Titanic material in the past including Titanic: The Digital Resurrection, which created the first high-res, 3D digital twin of the vessel.

“The strong international response to Titanic Sinks Tonight reflects the global appetite for premium, differentiated storytelling that can travel across platforms and territories,” said Jason Spivak and Mike Wald, Co-Presidents, Distribution & Networks, SPT. “With its innovative production approach and compelling subject matter, the series has resonated strongly with viewers in the UK and with global partners. We can’t wait for audiences worldwide to experience the Titanic story in an entirely new way.”

Titanic Sinks Tonight was produced by Sony-backed Stellify Media and EPd by Stellify’s Kieran Doherty and Matthew Worthy. It was filmed using virtual production tech at Studio Ulster with support from Northern Ireland Screen and actors from Northern Ireland. Fiona Keane is the executive producer for BBC Northern Ireland and Simon Young is the commissioning editor for BBC factual.