Meet Kio, the Lion Cub at the Heart of National Geographic’s LION
Kio walks through the long, dry grass. (National Geographic/Jane Atkins)
National Geographic’s LION follows Kio’s extraordinary journey from vulnerable Maasai Mara cub to lion king.
LION Airs on National Geographic and National Geographic Wild from Sunday 23 August 2026, as well as being available on Disney+ in South Africa
Johannesburg, 12 August 2026: National Geographic has given audiences their first look at LION, an ambitious four-year wildlife story centred on Kio, a young lion whose journey from vulnerable cub to king is captured on camera. Behind the series are The Lion King live-action director Jon Favreau and BBC Studios Natural History Unit Creative Director Mike Gunton, while the soundtrack features the work of Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer, Niccolò Pacella and George Huston Warren of 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.
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 of doubling 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 a series producer, and Simon Blakeney is a co-executive producer. For National Geographic, Janet Han Vissering and Tom McDonald executive produce.
