National Geographic is taking viewers into Kenya’s Maasai Mara with LION, a new four-part wildlife series following a lion cub’s extraordinary journey from vulnerability to becoming a king.
Executive produced by Jon Favreau and BBC Studios’ Mike Gunton, the series follows Kio across four years as he grows up within one of the Mara’s lion prides.
Filmed over nearly 1,400 days, the production is the first natural history project to document a lion’s complete journey from cub to adulthood.
A Wildlife Story With a Cinematic Feel
With an original score led by Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer, LION combines breathtaking wildlife footage with the emotional storytelling of a coming-of-age drama.
The series explores family, survival, courage and leadership while capturing the challenges Kio faces in the wild.
Coming to African Screens
LION premieres on National Geographic and National Geographic Wild on Sunday, 23 August, at 18:00, with a double bill each week. The series will also stream on Disney+ in South Africa.
The soundtrack will be released on 21 August.
The series also supports Disney’s Protect the Pride campaign, which works with the Wildlife Conservation Network’s Lion Recovery Fund to support lion conservation projects across Africa.
Main Image: Supplied
