National Geographic’s Lion follows Kio, a lion cub born on the African savanna, over four years as he faces loss, exile and conflicts with rival prides. Executive producers Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton say it is the first nature documentary to chart a lion’s path from cub to king, offering an unusually character-led account of a wild animal’s formative years.

The filmmakers initially expected the story to centre on four influential female lions, but an older lioness and what was likely her final cub became the focus. Favreau, who had previously collaborated with Gunton on Prehistoric Planet, said the production required them to accept the unpredictability of real wildlife rather than control events as they could with animation; Hans Zimmer composed the score, adding a connection to Disney’s The Lion King.