Was scheduled to be released theatrically in the United States and Canada for Earth Day, on April 22nd 2018, under the title "Dolphins, with narration by Owen Wilson, but this was abruptly canceled four days before for undisclosed reasons. The film was still released in cinemas that year in several European countries such as France (where it premiered a week ahead of the intended North American date), Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Exactly a year after it was initially meant to come out in the USA, on Earth Day 2019, it was announced that the film would finally release there under the new title "Dolphin Reef" and with new narration by Natalie Portman on Disney's then upcoming streaming service Disney+. The film was finally released in this way in North America a few weeks before Earth Day 2020, nearly two years after it was initially meant to.
It is the twelfth nature documentary to be released under the label Disneynature.