A tiny lion cub. A dangerous wilderness. Four years of survival, family, loss, courage and transformation.
This August, National Geographic takes viewers deep into Kenya’s Maasai Mara for LION, an ambitious four-part event series following the extraordinary real-life journey of Kio, a vulnerable lion cub growing into a king.
Unveiled ahead of its African premiere, the official trailer offers a first glimpse at a natural-history story unlike anything audiences have seen before. Rather than simply observing wildlife from a distance, LION follows one lion’s journey across four years, capturing the challenges and triumphs that shape his life from cub to adulthood.
The series premieres on Sunday, 23 August 2026, on National Geographic and National Geographic Wild across Africa. In South Africa, it will also be available to stream on Disney+.
Four years. One lion. One extraordinary journey.
Filmed entirely in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, LION is described as the first natural-history production to document a lion’s complete journey from vulnerable cub to king.
The scale of the production is striking.
Across four years, the production team completed nearly 1,400 filming days across 52 shoots. Local Kenyan filmmakers were also part of the crew, while the team spent more time in the field exclusively following a single pride than any previous production of its kind.
That unprecedented access gives the series an intimate perspective on Kio’s development.
From his earliest days as a vulnerable cub to the challenges that stand between him and becoming a king, audiences will witness the unpredictable realities of life inside the 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 Jon Favreau.
Where wildlife documentary meets cinematic storytelling
Behind LION is an impressive combination of natural-history expertise and cinematic storytelling.
The series is executive produced by Jon Favreau, the director of the live-action The Lion King, alongside Mike Gunton, Creative Director of BBC Studios Natural History Unit, whose credits include Planet Earth II and Dynasties.
The result is designed to go beyond a traditional wildlife documentary.
LION combines documentary truth with the structure and emotional momentum of a coming-of-age drama. Family, hope and courage sit at the centre of Kio’s story, while the realities of survival ensure that his journey is never predictable.
Narrating the series is O.J. Lynch, known for Mufasa and The Lion King stage production.
The production also brings together some of the world’s leading musical talent.
Hans Zimmer brings the Maasai Mara to life
The emotional weight of Kio’s journey is amplified by an original score led by Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer, alongside Niccolò Pacella and George Huston Warren of Bleeding Fingers Music.
But the music is rooted firmly in the world where the story unfolds.
The score draws on recordings made in the Maasai Mara, incorporating local singers, instruments and even lion roars. Additional vocals come from the Nairobi Chamber Chorus.
The production also subtly incorporates rerecorded musical nods to The Lion King, creating a connection between Favreau’s previous work and this very real story unfolding in the wild.
The LION original soundtrack will be released through Hollywood Records on 21 August 2026, ahead of the series premiere, and will be available on streaming platforms.
A story built around survival, family and courage
At its heart, LION is more than the story of a predator.
It is a coming-of-age story.
Kio’s journey explores the bonds within a lion pride and the challenges that come with growing up in one of Africa’s most unforgiving environments. His transformation from cub to king becomes a story about what it takes to survive, adapt and ultimately find one’s place.
That makes the series particularly suited to families and audiences who enjoy wildlife, while also giving it the scale and emotional storytelling of a major television event.
The Maasai Mara becomes more than a backdrop. It is an active part of Kio’s story, constantly shaping the choices and challenges he faces.
From storytelling to conservation
The launch of LION also connects with Disney’s ongoing Protect the Pride conservation campaign.
The campaign supports the Wildlife Conservation Network’s Lion Recovery Fund and its partners, who work across Africa to help conserve lion populations.
The Lion Recovery Fund’s vision is to help double the number of lions in the wild by 2050.
Since Protect the Pride launched in 2019, Disney says it has invested more than $5 million in the Lion Recovery Fund. The network has supported more than 400 conservation projects across 26 countries, focusing on stabilising and recovering lion populations through locally led solutions.
Kio’s story, therefore, arrives with a reminder that the future of Africa’s lions depends on more than extraordinary footage. It also depends on conservation efforts that protect the species and the landscapes they call home.
When and where to watch LION in South Africa
South African audiences can watch LION from Sunday, 23 August 2026.
The four-part event series will air as a double bill each Sunday at 18:00 on:
- National Geographic: DStv Channel 181 and StarTimes Channel 220
- National Geographic Wild: DStv Channel 182 and StarTimes Channel 221
- Disney+: Available in South Africa
The series will roll out across Africa with the same Sunday schedule, while Disney+ gives South African viewers another way to experience Kio’s extraordinary journey.
Watch the official trailer: LION official trailer on YouTube
Four years of filming. Nearly 1,400 days in the field. One pride. One remarkable cub.
And one question that will follow Kio from his earliest days to the throne: what does it really take to become a king?
