National Geographic is heading deep into Kenya’s Maasai Mara for a new four-part event series. It feels part wildlife documentary, part coming-of-age epic. LION premieres August 19 at 9/8c on National Geographic, with all four episodes streaming August 20 on Disney+ and Hulu.
At the center of the story is Kio, a tiny lion cub whose remarkable four-year journey takes him from vulnerable cub to king. And there is some serious Disney talent behind this one.
Jon Favreau Helps Bring LION to Life
The series is executive produced by Disney Legend and The Lion King director Jon Favreau. Additionally, BBC Studios Natural History Unit creative director Mike Gunton is an executive producer.
That connection is hard to miss. Like The Lion King, LION is built around family, courage, survival, and the journey toward leadership. The difference, of course, is that this story is real.
Narrated by O.J. Lynch, who has performed as Mufasa in The Lion King stage production, the series follows Kio and the lions of the Maasai Mara through a dramatic chapter of their lives.
Four Years in the Making
This was not a quick production. The team spent four years filming in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. Over 52 shoots, they logged nearly 1,400 filming days.
According to National Geographic, it is the first natural history production to document a lion’s complete journey from cub to king.
That amount of time gives the filmmakers something wildlife documentaries do not always have. For example, they have the chance to follow one animal through a full transformation.
Hans Zimmer Returns to the World of Lions
The music should sound familiar in spirit, too. Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer leads the score alongside Bleeding Fingers Music Group composers Niccolò Pacella and George Hutson Warren. The music also includes vocals from the Nairobi Chamber Chorus. In addition, there is a theme co-composed by Lebo M., Andrew Christie, and Zimmer.
Even better, the team incorporated recordings from the Maasai Mara, including local singers, instruments, and even lion roars.
There are also subtle musical nods to The Lion King. The original soundtrack will be released August 21 through Hollywood Records.
When to Watch LION
LION premieres August 19 at 9/8c on National Geographic. All four episodes will stream the next day, August 20, on Disney+ and Hulu.
With Jon Favreau behind the project and Hans Zimmer helping shape the music, the project gains star power. Furthermore, four years of real-world storytelling were captured in the Maasai Mara. Therefore, this looks like much more than another nature series. It looks like a real-life lion king story.
