Jon Favreau and Hans Zimmer Team Up for National Geographic's Lion
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Jon Favreau, Mike Gunton, and Hans Zimmer are teaming up for Lion, a four-part National Geographic docuseries following a Kenyan lion cub's journey to kingship, debuting on Disney Plus and Hulu this August.
Jon Favreau is bringing his storytelling expertise back to the world of big cats, but this time through the lens of real-world filmmaking. National Geographic recently dropped the official trailer for Lion, an ambitious four-part documentary event that follows a cub named Kio across a grueling four-year journey in Kenya's Maasai Mara. Favreau is executive producing the project alongside BBC Studios Natural History Unit creative director Mike Gunton, combining Hollywood production weight with elite wildlife documentation.
The scale of the production sets a new benchmark for natural history series. Filmed over nearly 1,400 days across 52 separate shoots, the crew utilized local Kenyan filmmakers to document the complete lifecycle of a single pride from the vulnerable cub stage to the ultimate crown of leadership. That kind of sustained field presence is rare in wildlife television, offering viewers a rare longitudinal look at animal hierarchy and survival in real time.
Beyond the visuals, the series boasts an incredible creative pedigree. Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer, alongside Niccolò Pacella and George Huston Warren, has provided the score, while stage actor O.J. Lynch handles narration duties. For a community that appreciates cinematic production values whether in open-world RPGs or high-budget streaming events, this crossover of Hollywood talent and natural history promises a compelling watch when it arrives on screens. According to IGN South Africa, Lion premieres on National Geographic on August 19 before hitting Disney Plus and Hulu the following day.
Tags: Disney Plus, National Geographic, Jon Favreau, Streaming, Documentary
Original article: IGN South Africa