The Collaboration Between Jon Favreau and BBC Studios
Director Jon Favreau, known for his work on Disney’s live-action The Lion King and The Jungle Book, joined forces with executive producer Mike Gunton after working together on the CGI-driven dinosaur series Prehistoric Planet. According to Favreau, when Gunton approached him in 2022 about making a multipart documentary focused on a single species, he agreed immediately despite never having directed a documentary before. Rather than utilizing digital effects, Favreau and the production team established a strict analog rule for Lion: no digital augmentation, no painting things out, and no manipulation of the footage, as noted by BBC Studios.
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Tracking Kio and the Pride in the Maasai Mara
To establish the narrative, the crew initially tracked two separate prides in the Maasai Mara, drawing family trees and logging identification cards detailing whisker spots for up to 50 individual lions. Local field guides and Kenyan filmmaker Faith Musembi assisted the team in monitoring the animals through dense bushes and tall grass. According to Gunton, the team eventually focused on a specific female lion and her cub, named Kio. Because roughly 50% of lion cubs do not survive to adulthood, tracking Kio through seasonal rains proved harrowing, with the crew frequently questioning whether the young cub had survived.
Parallels to The Lion King and Real-Life Drama
While the coming-of-age journey of a male lion mirrors the narrative arc of Disney’s animated and live-action The Lion King, Favreau stated that the parallel was an accidental result of real-world events rather than intentional scripting. Gunton emphasized that the series avoids both sensationalism and saccharine storytelling, presenting instead an authentic look at nature. According to WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com, the series features a musical score composed by Hans Zimmer, who also worked on the original animated Lion King film.
Release Schedule and Streaming Platforms
Lion is scheduled to premiere on August 19 on the National Geographic linear channel, and will become available to stream the following day on August 20 on both Disney+ and Hulu, according to BBC Studios and National Geographic. The project is produced by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit, with executive production by Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton, series production by Jane Atkins, and co-executive production by Simon Blakeney.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Lion premiere?
The series premieres on August 19 on National Geographic and streams on Disney+ and Hulu starting August 20.
Who directed or produced the series?
Lion is executive produced by Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton, produced by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit for National Geographic, with Jane Atkins serving as series producer.
Was CGI used in the making of Lion?
No. According to the filmmakers, the production used a strictly analog approach with no digital augmentation, footage manipulation, or digital removal of elements.
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