Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Nature documentaries are one of the pillars of National Geographic's programming, but how often do you get an opportunity to follow a lion from cub to king? Turns out, not very often — in fact, never at all until now. Lion follows the journey of young lion cub, Kio, as he is born in the African savanna and spans four years of his life. Disney fans might find a familiar touchstone with Lion, as not only is Kio's story one that's similar to Simba's in The Lion King, but composer Hans Zimmer also stepped in to create the music that is sure to speak to anyone who is a fan of the classic Disney film. Through loss, exile, and facing down lions from other prides, Kio's story has been documented with extreme precision, giving viewers a complete and stirring journey into the most formative years of this lion's life. Collider spoke with executive producers Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton about the struggles of filming such a unique documentary and the challenges they faced taking on this very fluid and unpredictable process.
#lion #natgeo #jonfavreau #mikegunton #hanszimmer
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Nature documentaries are one of the pillars of National Geographic's programming, but how often do you get an opportunity to follow a lion from cub to king? Turns out, not very often — in fact, never at all until now. Lion follows the journey of young lion cub, Kio, as he is born in the African savanna and spans four years of his life. Disney fans might find a familiar touchstone with Lion, as not only is Kio's story one that's similar to Simba's in The Lion King, but composer Hans Zimmer also stepped in to create the music that is sure to speak to anyone who is a fan of the classic Disney film. Through loss, exile, and facing down lions from other prides, Kio's story has been documented with extreme precision, giving viewers a complete and stirring journey into the most formative years of this lion's life. Collider spoke with executive producers Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton about the struggles of filming such a unique documentary and the challenges they faced taking on this very fluid and unpredictable process.
#lion #natgeo #jonfavreau #mikegunton #hanszimmer
For interviews, movie reviews, and more visit collider.com
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
twitter.com/collider
instagram.com/collider
facebook.com/collider










