National Geographic’s LION Takes Audiences on Kio’s Extraordinary Journey from Cub to King
We attended the National Geographic LION media launch as the new four-part series prepares to bring the Maasai Mara’s most extraordinary lion story to South African screens
The wild, dramatic and deeply emotional world of the Maasai Mara is coming to South African screens in a spectacular new National Geographic series.
LION takes audiences deep into Kenya’s Maasai Mara for an extraordinary four-year journey following Kio, a young lion whose remarkable life unfolds from vulnerable cub to fully grown king.
Everyday Mzansi attended the National Geographic LION media launch in Johannesburg, where the trailer and details of the ambitious production were unveiled ahead of its South African premiere.
The series will premiere on National Geographic and National Geographic Wild from Sunday, 23 August 2026, with the series also available to stream on Disney+ in South Africa.
A lion’s life, captured over four years
What makes LION particularly remarkable is the amount of time the production team spent following Kio and his pride.
Filmed in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, the series took four years to make and represents the first natural history production to document a lion’s complete journey from vulnerable cub to king.
The production involved nearly 1,400 filming days across 52 shoots, making it the longest period a crew has spent exclusively following a single pride for a natural history production.
Local Kenyan filmmakers were also part of the production, adding important local expertise and perspective to the story.
The result is intended to go beyond the traditional wildlife documentary, combining natural history filmmaking with the scale and emotional storytelling of a cinematic drama.
From cub to king
At the centre of the series is Kio, whose life unfolds against the backdrop of the Maasai Mara.
Audiences will see the challenges he faces as he grows, while also following the family and social dynamics of the pride around him.
The story explores themes of family, hope, courage and survival, giving viewers an intimate look at the experiences that shape a lion’s journey towards adulthood.
The filmmakers describe the series as a real-life coming-of-age story, with nature providing the unpredictable backdrop.
Executive producer Jon Favreau, who directed the live-action The Lion King, says the pride continued to surprise the production team throughout the four years of filming.
“What Kio endures and eventually becomes is extraordinary.”
For Favreau, witnessing Kio’s journey against the backdrop of nature created an opportunity to tell a story that combines the emotional power of a hero’s journey with the reality of the wild.
A cinematic soundtrack for the wild
The cinematic scale of LION extends to its music.
The score is led by Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer, working alongside Niccolò Pacella and George Hutson Warren of Bleeding Fingers Music.
The soundtrack incorporates recordings captured in the Maasai Mara, including local singers, instruments and even lion roars.
Additional vocals from the Nairobi Chamber Chorus further connect the music to the African setting.
The production also incorporates subtle musical references to The Lion King, creating a connection between Favreau’s previous work and this real-life story.
The original LION soundtrack is scheduled for release through Hollywood Records on 21 August 2026.
From the screen to conservation
The launch also highlighted the conservation message connected to the series.
Disney is continuing its “Protect the Pride” campaign in celebration of LION, supporting the Wildlife Conservation Network’s Lion Recovery Fund (LRF) and conservation partners working across Africa.
The Lion Recovery Fund has a long-term vision of helping to double the number of lions in the wild by 2050.
Since the Protect the Pride campaign 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, with projects focused on stabilising and recovering lion populations through locally led conservation solutions.
That conservation connection adds another dimension to LION, placing the story of one young lion within the much bigger challenge of protecting the species across Africa.
A story for the whole family
Narrated by O.J. Lynch, whose credits include Mufasa and The Lion King stage production, LION is designed to appeal beyond traditional wildlife documentary audiences.
The series combines dramatic animal behaviour with themes that are familiar to viewers of all ages — growing up, finding courage, protecting family and navigating a world that can change without warning.
For families, wildlife lovers and fans of cinematic storytelling, the series offers an opportunity to experience the Maasai Mara from a different perspective.
Rather than simply observing lions from a distance, viewers are invited to follow one animal’s life over a significant period and witness the challenges that shape his future.
When to watch LION in South Africa
The four-part event series begins on Sunday, 23 August 2026 across Africa.
National Geographic: DStv 181 and StarTimes 220 — 21:00
National Geographic Wild: DStv 182 and StarTimes 221 — 18:00
Both channels will feature a double bill each week.
The series will also be available on Disney+ in South Africa.
For South African audiences, LION offers more than another wildlife documentary. It is an ambitious four-year record of one lion’s transformation, filmed against the extraordinary landscapes of Kenya’s Maasai Mara and shaped by the people who spent years following Kio’s story.
From a vulnerable cub to a future king, Kio’s journey is about to unfold on screens across the country.
