The official trailer of a new documentary devoted to the iconic Scotch whisky brand Johnnie Walker has been unveiled. The Man Who Walked Around the World is directed by BAFTA award-winning film-maker Antony Wonke and will be premiered on the Discovery channel on 12 November.
The venture is an independent feature documentary created by Something Originals and produced by renowned film company Partizan. The film explores everything from the brand’s origins to the part it has played in famous Hollywood films and in music that has defined generations.
The Man Who Walked Around the World profiles the whisky’s cultural impact globally and looks at how, 200 years into its journey from local grocer to global icon, Johnnie Walker remains “as relevant as ever”.
The documentary features contributions from Wu-Tang Clan’s Cappadonna, actress and activist Sophia Bush, rock musician Zakk Wylde, 88rising’s Sean Miyashiro, advertising legend Sir John Hegarty and many more.
Wonke was inspired to turn his camera to the world’s largest Scotch whisky brand after seeing the famous ‘Striding Man’ show up time and again in films, music videos and bars wherever he travelled in the world.
He said: “The symbol of the Striding Man seems to be everywhere in some shape or form and has taken on a significance of its own. It kind of transcended a brand to become truly iconic.
“We’ve been on an amazing journey, going through years’ worth of footage and speaking to people from all walks of life to create this film – actors, musicians, barmen, artists, activists and a whole host more. It’s a fantastic story.”
Discovery VP Content Sourcing and Acquisitions Myriam Lopez-Otazu said: “We are excited to see the first glimpse of The Man Who Walked Around the World and can’t wait to share the documentary with Discovery’s global audience of passionate fans.”
Diageo Global Scotch Director John Williams added: “We’ve been looking forward to this moment ever since we heard about the documentary’s creation. Johnnie Walker has an amazing story to tell and the way Anthony and Something Originals have crafted it is extremely exciting for us.”
Oscar-nominated Wonke’s previous credits include Ronaldo (about the life and career of Portuguese professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo) and The Director & the Jedi (a documentary capturing the journey of Star Wars).
