Hans Zimmer breathes life in ‘Lion’ documenting the journey of a vulnerable cub to becoming the king of pride

Mumbai, Aug 25 (IANS) Music composer Hans Zimmer, who is known for his work on the ‘Batman’ trilogy, ‘Inception’, ‘Interstellar’, and others has scored the background music for the upcoming series ‘Lion’. The series follows the true story of Lion cub Kio and his four-year journey to become a king.

It took 4 years to mount the series, and it has been filmed entirely in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. The series marks the first natural history production to document a Lion’s complete journey from vulnerable cub to king. The production team, including local Kenyan filmmakers, logged nearly 1,400 filming days across 52 shoots, representing the most time ever spent in the field following a single pride for a single production.

Talking about the series, Jon Favreau said, “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 this hero’s journey unfold against the backdrop of nature was incredible to witness”.

The series moves beyond the conventions of a traditional wildlife documentary to tell a deeply personal, character-driven story grounded entirely in documentary truth. It is narrated by O.J. Lynch, who is known for voicing Mufasa in The Lion King stage production. The series explores themes of family, courage, hope and survival through Kio’s coming-of-age journey.

Alok Jain, Head – Hindi and English Entertainment Business (Streaming, TV & Studios), JioStar, said, “‘Lion’ is a powerful story of survival, family and leadership, told through the extraordinary journey of Kio. What makes the series particularly special is the depth of storytelling behind it, with filmmakers following Kio over four years to capture his transformation from a vulnerable cub into a formidable young lion. It is a testament to National Geographic’s masterful approach to natural history storytelling, bringing together patience, access and cinematic filmmaking to create stories that are both authentic and deeply engaging. We are delighted to bring LION to audiences in India and hope Kio’s story inspires a renewed sense of wonder and respect for one of the world’s most iconic species”.

The series is produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit for National Geographic. Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton serve as executive producers, with Jane Atkins as series producer and Simon Blakeney as co-executive producer. Janet Han Vissering and Tom McDonald serve as executive producers for National Geographic.

The series is set to premiere on National Geographic Channel on August 27, and is also streaming on JioHotstar.

–IANS

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