Before he can rule the pride, Kio has to survive it.
National Geographic has unveiled the official trailer for LION, a four-part wildlife series following the remarkable real-life journey of a lion cub in Kenya’s Maasai Mara as he grows from a vulnerable youngster into a king.
And this is not a story that was captured in a few weeks.
The production spent four years following Kio and his pride, with filmmakers completing nearly 1,400 filming days across 52 shoots. According to National Geographic, it is the first natural history production to document a lion’s complete journey from cub to king.
Executive produced by Disney Legend Jon Favreau and BBC Studios Natural History Unit creative director Mike Gunton, the series combines wildlife filmmaking with the storytelling scale of a cinematic drama.
Narrated by O.J. Lynch, the series explores family, survival, courage and the challenges that come with growing up in one of Africa’s most unpredictable environments.
The storytelling is also matched by an ambitious musical score.
Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer leads the score alongside Niccolò Pacella and George Hutson Warren of Bleeding Fingers Music. The soundtrack draws from recordings made in the Maasai Mara, incorporating local singers, instruments and even lion roars.
There are also subtle musical connections to The Lion King, creating another link to Favreau’s previous work.
Beyond the drama on screen, LION also forms part of Disney’s ongoing Protect the Pride conservation campaign, which supports the Wildlife Conservation Network’s Lion Recovery Fund and conservation partners working across Africa.
Since 2019, Disney says it has invested more than $5 million in the fund, supporting a network that has contributed to more than 400 conservation projects across 26 countries.
For viewers, however, the heart of the series remains Kio himself — a young lion facing the realities of life in the wild while growing into the role he was born to inherit.
LION premieres across Africa from 23 August, with episodes airing Sundays at 21:00 on National Geographic and 18:00 on National Geographic Wild, with a double bill each week. In South Africa, the series will also be available on Disney+.
