James R | On 19, Aug 2018

Ultimate Beastmaster is changing things up for its new season, as Netflix’s sporting contest raises the stakes.

Dubbed the world’s toughest obstacle course, the Beast is a gargantuan stretch of bouncing platforms, climbing frames that fall apart and conveyor belts, all designed to throw people off. Over two seasons, hundreds of athletes from around the world have competed to become the “Beastmaster”.

“The show does its best to live up to its absurdly macho title, spending goodness-knows-how-much on the Beast itself,” we wrote in our review of Season 1. “And, as far it goes, the obstacle course is a genuinely impressive sight – not least because it’s introduced by Sylvester Stallone, who co-created the whole thing… What it lacks in Gladiators-style novelty, it almost makes up for with Street Fighter-like scale, recruiting not just contestants from around the world, but also presenters.”

Indeed, Netflix streams localised versions of events with familiar faces commentating. While the USA will see Tiki Barber and CM Punk presenting the action, Brits will see things through the punditry of WWE’s Stu Bennett and sports journalist Kate Abdo. Because yes, Season 3 sees the UK take part, as a group of British contestants try to conquer the Beast.

This season, though, sees a change in the show’s format, with a new tournament-style structure and a different selection of contenders: each athlete taking on the course will have overcome significant adversity, bringing their inspiring stories to the mix.

Ultimate Beastmaster: Survival Of The Fittest debuts on Netflix on Friday 31st August. Here’s the trailer:

 

Ultimate Beastmaster: Survival of the Fittest is available on Netflix UK, as part of an £9.99 monthly subscription.

 

Netflix renews Ultimate Beastmaster for Season 3

28th February 2018

Netflix has renewed Ultimate Beastmaster for Season 3 – and the UK is taking part.

Yes, Netflix’s answer to Ninja Warrior is returning for another round, reports THR, as another 100-odd athletes from different countries compete in the world’s “most physically and psychologically demanding” course. The course? That’s The Beast. The person to conquer The Beast? Why, yes, that’s the Beastmaster.

The third run of the show will comprise nine episodes, with nine different countries taking part, including the USA, Italy, France and South Korea. Spain, China and India will not be in this season, after competing in Season 2, with new countries added to the mix, including Australia, Germany, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico and the UK.

The show also sees hosts from each participant country presenting events for their respective streaming audiences. For the USA, the new hosts will be MMA fighter and WWE alum CM Punk, while Danni Minogue and former rugby player Nick Cummins will be hosting for Australia Netflix subscribers. As for us? We’ll be watching events commentated by actor and WWE veteran Stu Bennett and sports journalist Kate Abdo.

All nine episodes will be released later this year.

*BREAKING NEWS* I’ll be hosting Netflix’s #UltimateBeastmaster S3 alongside @kate_abdo. 👊🏻 #TeamUK 🇬🇧 @Netflix @NetflixUK @broome88 pic.twitter.com/k4UhElLzbR

— Stu Bennett (@StuBennett) February 27, 2018

 

Netflix unleashes trailer for Ultimate Beastmaster Season 2

9th November 2017

“It’s like a Transformer and Godzilla had a baby or something.” That’s how Ultimate Beastmaster’s obstacle course is described in the new trailer for the programme’s second season.

“The show does its best to live up to its absurdly macho title, spending goodness-knows-how-much on the Beast itself,” we wrote in our review of Season 1. “And, as far it goes, the obstacle course is a genuinely impressive sight – not least because it’s introduced by Sylvester Stallone, who co-created the whole thing… What it lacks in Gladiators-style novelty, it almost makes up for with Street Fighter-like scale, recruiting not just contestants from around the world, but also presenters.”

Season 2 premieres all-at-once on Netflix on Friday 15th December. Here’s a trailer:

 

Feast your eyes on the full trailer for Ultimate Beastmaster

26th January 2016

“Are you a beast? Are you a least? Are you ready to feast?” These are the words to Chris Classic’s track, Beast, which accompanies the new, full trailer for Ultimate Beastmaster. And they set the tone for Netflix’s most unexpected original series yet.

The show? A mix of Gladiators and Street Fighter, as we fly around the world to see 108 athletes from six different countries compete in “the most physically demanding competition the world has ever seen”. The competition? Trying to complete Beastmaster, a fiendish obstacle course that looks like the end of Gladiators had a child with the giant robot spiders from Wild Wild West.

Produced by none other than Sly Stallone (and Dave Broome – The Biggest Loser), contenders include Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Anderson Silva (former UFC Middleweight Champion), Seo Kyung Suk (Actor, Comedian and TV Host), Luis Ernesto Franco (Actor and Producer), Hans Sarpei (Former Soccer Player, TV Personality) and Sayaka Akimoto (Actress).

Who will be crowned Beastmaster? We don’t know what that means, but none of us will know unless we all tune in on Friday 24th February, when the series punches its way onto Netflix on Friday 24th February.

 

 

Ultimate Beastmaster is an actual thing and Netflix has a trailer to prove it

20th December 2016

When Netflix announced a new competition series from Sylvester Stallone called Ultimate Beastmaster, you might have been forgiven for thinking it was a joke. But it’s official: Ultimate Beastmaster is an actual thing that is actually happening next February, and Netflix has released a trailer to prove it.

The show will see elite athletes from across the world go head-to-head in a tournament that will exhaust their physical and mental stamina and push them to their breaking points.

The first international competition series of its kind, with six customized local versions (featuring local languages, competitors and hosts from each competing country), think Gladiator meets Street Fighter and you’re along the right lines.

And who better to come up with such a thing than Sly Stallone? He’s producing the project, alongside Dave Broome (The Biggest Loser, Strong). The countries in the offing? Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Germany, Japan and the good old US of A. Contenders include Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Anderson Silva (former UFC Middleweight Champion), Seo Kyung Suk (Actor, Comedian and TV Host), Luis Ernesto Franco (Actor and Producer), Hans Sarpei (Former Soccer Player, TV Personality) and Sayaka Akimoto (Actress).

The 10-episode event series will feature 108 competitors in total, 18 from each country, with each episode seeing 12 of them take their shot at “one of the most physically demanding obstacle courses ever devised”. It’s called The Beast. The person to conquer The Beast? Why, yes, that’s the Beastmaster. You may see where this is going.

Now that we’ve all had that title explained and understand what the word “beastmaster” means, you’re ready to watch the first glimpse of what’s in store. All 10 episodes of the series will punch their way onto Netflix on 24th February.

 

Ultimate Beastmaster: Netflix teams up with Stallone for competition series

20th December 2016

Netflix is teaming up with Sly Stallone to create a new competition series pitting top tier contenders and athletes from around the world head to head.

Called Ultimate Beastmaster – yes, really – Netflix is billing the show as “the first international competition series of its kind”, with six customised local versions featuring local languages, competitors and hosts from each competing country. Participating nations include the US, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Germany and Japan.

The 10-episode event series will feature 108 competitors in total, 18 from each country. Each hour-long episode will feature two from each country, who will take their shot at running “one of the most physically-demanding obstacle courses ever devised”: The Beast. At the end of each episode, a “Beastmaster” will be crowned from the 12 contenders and in the final episode of the season, the nine individual winners will compete against each other for the chance to become the “Ultimate Beastmaster”.

For each localised version in the US, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Germany and Japan, local celebrity hosts and popular athletes will provide commentary throughout the competition. The hosts for each country are as follows:

USA
Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Ridiculous Six), Charissa Thompson (Extra TV, Fox Sports)

Brazil
Anderson Silva (UFC Middleweight Champion), Rafinha Bastos (Comedian, Journalist and TV Personality)

South Korea
Seo Kyung Suk (Actor, Comedian and TV Host), Park Kyeong Rim (Actress, Comedian and TV Host)

Mexico
Ines Sainz (Journalist, Sportscaster & TV Host), Luis Ernesto Franco (Actor and Producer)

Germany
Hans Sarpei (Former Footballer, TV Personality), Luke Mockridge (Comedian)

Japan
Sayaka Akimoto (Actress), Yuji Kondo (Sports Anchor)

 

The show marks a big departure from anything else Netflix has created so far. The show is produced Sylvester Stallone (Creed, Grudge Match) and producer Dave Broome (The Biggest Loser, Strong).

“I’m thrilled and honoured to partner with Netflix. Their trailblazing network is the perfect home for this ground-breaking global series,” says creator and executive producer Dave Broome. “I’m excited for viewers to see extraordinary men and women from around the world try and tackle this amazing physical course in the guise of a jaw-dropping modern monster – The Beast.”

“The invitation to partner with Netflix and mega-producer Dave Broome on this revolutionary concept was an opportunity I couldn’t resist,” adds Stallone. “The world will watch in awe as amazing competitors from around the globe overcome gruelling physical challenges – and in the process become champions and heroes. The course is unequalled in its daring creation and I am excited to be a part of it.”

All 10 episodes of the series will be made available at the same time globally on Netflix.

“As a global internet TV network, Netflix can create a uniquely compelling event,” says Erik Barmack, Vice President, International Originals. “It’s going to be outrageously fun.”

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