Jon Favreau executive produces new Nat Geo series, 'Lion,' following a cub's journey to king
Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer, composer of the 1994 classic "The Lion King," roars back to score Nat Geo's new show.
A tiny lion cub named Kio just can't wait to be king. Disney and National Geographic have released the trailer for "Lion," a four-part series showcasing the real-life journey from cub to king.
"Lion" is executive produced by Disney Legend and "The Lion King" live-action director Jon Favreau.
Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer, who did the score for the animated classic "The Lion King," roars back to score Nat Geo's new show. Fans might notice rerecorded musical nods to the iconic 1994 movie in "Lion."
"Lion" chronicles the four-year story of Kio, with narration by O.J. Lynch (Mufasa in "The Lion King" stage production). It showcases the true story of Kenya's Maasai Mara's lion kings and queens. This marks the first natural history production to document a lion's complete journey from young cub to king.
In a press release, Favreau shares, "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."
In celebration of Kio's journey in "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. Since the launch of "Protect the Pride" in 2019, Disney has invested more than $5 million in LRF, to help supportmore than 400 conservation projects across 26 countries focused on stabilizing and recovering lion populations through locally led solutions.
Embrace the hakuna matata way of life and watch "Lion," premiering on National Geographic Aug. 19 at 9/8c. All episodes will stream the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.
The original series soundtrack will drop through Hollywood Records on Aug. 21, and will be available wherever music is streamed.
The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Hollywood Records, National Geographic, Disney+, Hulu and this ABC station.
