Narrated by the voice of Mufasa, Lion is Nat Geo's new documentary following a real lion cub for four years

Dubai: Jon Favreau and Hans Zimmer are taking their Lion King sensibilities to the natural world.

National Geographic's Lion, a four-part docuseries now streaming, follows a cub named Kio across four years in Kenya's Maasai Mara as he fights his way from vulnerability to kingship.

Its streaming in the UAE on Disney+ and in India on JioHotstar.

The story

About half of all lion cubs do not survive to adulthood. Kio is one who did, and the series captures every stage of why that is not a given. Along the way Kio encounters dangers including buffalo, hyenas, people, other lions and fire. He also experiences exile, brotherhood, loss and triumph.

At the centre of the story is Kio and his close relationship with his mother. Her dedication and protection give the young lion a chance to survive the difficult early stages of life and, potentially, one day rise through the ranks of the pride.

What Favreau brought to it

This is Favreau's first documentary, and he has spoken about how different it felt from anything he has made before. "You really have to surrender yourself to what fate had in store," he told Variety. "We didn't have any recourse to change the outcomes. I'm used to writing and creating shots and creating moments. Not knowing whether the lead character that emerged was going to survive through each rainy season was harrowing."

Through parts of the rainy season, Kio could not be followed as the plains in the Maasai Mara became impassable. At other times, Kio and his brothers were hardly seen for weeks. Every check-in with the field team started with a question: "How's Kio — is he alive?"

Four years, 1,400 days

The filmmaking team behind the series is the only documentary crew to spend over 1,400 filming days with a single pride and the first to follow one cub into adulthood. The production team, including local Kenyan filmmakers, covered 52 shoots across four years. Eventually the crew could identify up to 50 lions from different prides by name and family relationships.

To find a main character, the crew initially followed two prides in the Maasai Mara. Family trees were drawn up. Each lion had its own identification card, where details down to the whisker spots were logged.

The score

Hans Zimmer is scoring the savanna yet again, more than three decades after composing the score to Disney's 1994 animated classic. The music goes further than a studio session. The score incorporates recordings made in the Maasai Mara, including local singers, traditional instruments and lion roars, with the series theme co-composed by Lebo M., Andrew Christie and Hans Zimmer. Additional vocals come from the Nairobi Chamber Chorus. The official soundtrack was released through Hollywood Records on 21 August.

Who is narrating

Narration is by O.J. Lynch, known for voicing Mufasa in the Lion King stage production, a casting decision that connects the documentary to its cinematic antecedent.

National Geographic describes Lion as a natural history series rooted in documentary truth but shaped with the scale and emotional storytelling of a blockbuster drama. Favreau has noted that the surge of AI-generated content made the authenticity of the footage feel more significant, not less.

"After tracking the lions in the field for four years, the pride never ceased to surprise us," he said. "What Kio endures and eventually becomes is extraordinary. Watching this hero's journey unfold against the backdrop of nature was incredible to witness."

Lion is streaming in the UAE on Disney+ and in India on JioHotstar.