The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course
MGM studios in Hollywood approached the Irwins in 2000 about a fictional adverture movie based on Crocodile Hunter. Negotiations, however, took nearly two years before a contract was signed.
The central issue was Steve’s insistence that no animal encounter be faked or computer-generated. Steve felt that he would need to handle the animals himself to keep the conservation message genuine. This unconventional agreement meant complications with insurance, and because of these complications, the project was temporarily stalled. Unwilling to compromise their conservation beliefs or give up on the film, they went ahead and shot the necessary crocodile-wrangling footage on their own and this was then used in the film.
In Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, Steve, in the title role, needs to save a crocodile from CIA agents determined to capture the animal because it has swallowed a tracking device from a satellite that has fallen to earth.
The following trailer gives a sneak peek of the film:
Icebreaker
In 2004, Steve and John Stainton, took their crew to Antartica to shoot Icebreaker, a documentary on animals of Antartica. The show featured humpback whales, leopard seals, and penguins. Steve wanted to show audiences how they lived.
Steve was however, accused of breaking Antarctic regulations on human interaction with penguins. He was cleared of all charges. Below is a snippet of the Animal Planet production.
Ocean’s Deadliest
Steve teamed up with oceanogpraher Philippe Cousteau, grandson of the legendary Jacques Cousteau for a collaborative documentary called Ocean’s Deadliest. The following clip features Steve interacting with a sea snake.