LION, an epic four-part event series that follows a cub’s extraordinary journey to become king, airs Aug. 19 on National Geographic and Streams Aug. 20 on Disney+ and Hulu. National Geographic unveiled the official trailer for LION, an emotional, real-life drama that chronicles the remarkable four-year journey of a tiny lion cub named Kio as he becomes a king. LION is executive produced by Disney Legend and “The Lion King” live-action director Jon Favreau and BBC Studios Natural History Unit’s Creative director Mike Gunton (“Planet Earth II,” “Dynasties”), with the score by legendary Academy Award®-winning composer Hans Zimmer (“Dune” parts one and two, “Interstellar,” “The Dark Knight” trilogy, “Inception”), Niccolò Pacella and George Hutson Warren for Bleeding Fingers Music Group. The four-part event series debuts on National Geographic Aug. 19, beginning at 9/8c with all episodes streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.
Lion | Official Trailer | National Geographic
With narration by O.J. Lynch (Mufasa, “The Lion King” stage production), LION brings to life the extraordinary true story of the Maasai Mara’s lion kings, queens and a new hero named Kio. Blending Favreau’s distinctive storytelling and passion with Gunton’s world-class natural history expertise, the ambitious series goes beyond traditional wildlife documentaries to deliver a gripping, blockbuster drama rooted in documentary truth.
Zimmer leads the score alongside Bleeding Fingers Music Group’s Niccolò Pacella and George Hutson Warren, with additional vocals from the Nairobi Chamber Chorus and theme co-composed by Lebo M. and Andrew Christie alongside Zimmer. Drawing on recordings captured in the Maasai Mara, including local singers, instruments and even lion roars, the music blends the scale of a cinematic adventure with the emotional texture of the wild, while subtly weaving in rerecorded musical nods to “The Lion King.” The original series soundtrack will be released through Hollywood Records on Aug. 21 and will be available wherever music is streamed.
Four years in the making and filmed in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, this is the first natural history production to document a lion’s complete journey from vulnerable cub to king. The crew, including local Kenyan filmmakers, logged nearly 1,400 filming days across 52 shoots — the most time ever spent in the field exclusively following a single pride.
“After tracking the lions in the field for four years, the pride never ceased to surprise us — what Kio endures and eventually becomes is extraordinary. Watching the hero’s journey against the backdrop of nature was incredible to witness,” says Favreau.
Echoing the themes that made the beloved animated film a classic, the series is a sweeping coming-of-age saga of family, hope and courage that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Filled with drama, heart and high-stakes adventure, it offers a powerful co-viewing experience for animal lovers, families and anyone drawn to epic storytelling.
In celebration of National Geographic’s LION, Disney is continuing the “Protect the Pride” campaign, supporting the Wildlife Conservation Network’s Lion Recovery Fund (LRF) and its partners working across Africa. The campaign shares the LRF’s vision to help double the number of lions in the wild by 2050. Since the launch of “Protect the Pride” in 2019, Disney has invested more than $5 million in LRF, whose network has helped support more than 400 conservation projects across 26 countries focused on stabilizing and recovering lion populations through locally led solutions.
LION is produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit for National Geographic. Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton executive produce the series. Jane Atkins is series producer, and Simon Blakeney is co-executive producer. For National Geographic, Janet Han Vissering and Tom McDonald executive produce.
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About National Geographic Content: Representing one of the largest brands on social media with over 800 million followers and over one billion impressions each month, National Geographic Content’s award-winning and critically acclaimed storytelling inspires fans of all ages to connect with, explore and care about the world through factual storytelling. National Geographic Content, part of a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, reaches up to 402 million households in at least 170 countries and 30 languages across the global National Geographic channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO), National Geographic Documentary Films, and streaming services Disney+ and Hulu, in addition to being a global digital, social and print publisher. Its diverse content includes Oscar®- and BAFTA Award-winning film “Free Solo”; Oscar-nominated films “Sugarcane,” “Fire of Love,” “Bobi Wine: The People’s President” and “The Cave”; Emmy® Award-winning franchises “Race Against Time” and “Secrets of”; Emmy Award-winning series “Animals Up Close” and “Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller”; and Emmy-nominated series “A Real Bug’s Life” and “Tucci in Italy,” in addition to multiple National Magazine Awards, Pulitzer Prize finalists and Webby wins. Visit nationalgeographic.com and natgeotv.com or explore Instagram, Threads, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok and Reddit.
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About BBC Natural History Unit: BBC Studios is the main commercial arm of BBC Commercial Ltd and generated revenues of £2.1 billion in the last year and profits of over £200 million for a fourth consecutive year. Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, the business is built on two operating areas: the content studio, which produces, invests and distributes TV and audio globally and media & streaming, with BBC branded channels, services including UKTV, BBC.com and BritBox International and joint ventures in the UK and internationally. The business made almost 3,300 hours of award-winning British programmes last year for a wide range of UK and global broadcasters and platforms. Its content is internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms and includes world-famous brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, the Planet series, Bluey and Doctor Who.
