National Geographic Reveals Trailer For Lion – An Epic Four-Part Event Series That Follows A Cub’s Extraordinary Journey To Become A King
LION is Executive Produced by “The Lion King” Director Jon Favreau and BBC Studios Natural History Unit’s Mike Gunton, with the Score Composed by Hans Zimmer’s Bleeding Fingers Music
LION Airs on National Geographic and National Geographic Wild from Sunday 23 August 2026, as well as being available on Disney+ in South Africa
National Geographic has 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 Huston Warren for Bleeding Fingers Music.
The four-part event series debuts on National Geographic (DStv 181 and StarTimes 220) and National Geographic Wild (DStv 182, StarTimes 221), on Sundays at 18:00 from Sunday 23 August, across Africa, with a double bill each week, and will also be available on Disney+ in South Africa.
Watch the trailer here:
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’s Niccolò Pacella and George Hutson Warren, with additional vocals from the Nairobi Chamber Chorus. 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 21 August 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.
