"Lion" Landmark Series Premieres This Year on National Geographic and Disney+

The wait for the most ambitious wildlife project in National Geographic history is nearly over. After four years of unprecedented principal photography, the landmark series Lion is officially set to premiere later this year on National Geographic and Disney+.

What’s Happening:

• After years of preproduction and filming, the serialized dramatic story of a single lion pride is finally arriving on screens this year.
• Jon Favreau, Mike Gunton (the world’s foremost natural history producer), and the BBC Studios Natural History Unit joined forces for this production.
• The series represents the culmination of four years of continuous filming, following one specific group of characters through every triumph and tragedy.
• The series is being framed as an intimate and emotional serialized story, treating the pride members as a compelling group of characters rather than just subjects.
• Executive produced by Favreau and Gunton, with the acclaimed Simon Blakeney serving as series editor.

Technical Innovation and Conservation

• By utilizing remote camera arrays and high-frame-rate technology perfected in Favreau’s previous Disney projects, the team captured behaviors never before seen by human eyes.
• This long-form observation period allowed for a deeper understanding of pride politics, offering a scientific look at how climate shifts and territorial pressures affect apex predators over a generational span.

The Architects of the Pride: A Creative Powerhouse

• Jon Favreau (Executive Producer): A certified Disney Legend, Favreau has become the architect of Disney’s modern photorealistic era. After directing The Lion King (2019) and The Jungle Book (2016), he developed the virtual production techniques now standard in the industry. With Lion, he transitions from digital animals back to biological ones.
• Mike Gunton (Executive Producer): As the Creative Director at the BBC Studios Natural History Unit, Gunton is arguably the most influential figure in wildlife film today. He was the driving force behind the Planet Earth II and Dynasties revolutions, which shifted the focus from broad surveys of ecosystems to deep, character-driven narratives of individual animal families.
• The BBC Studios Natural History Unit (NHU): Based in Bristol, the NHU has been the gold standard of wildlife filmmaking for over 60 years. They are responsible for documentaries characterized by high production values, years of field research, and a commitment to capturing behaviors never before seen by science.
• Simon Blakeney (Series Editor): A veteran of the NHU, Blakeney has spent years in the field and the edit suite for landmark series like Africa and Dynasties. His expertise lies in finding the serialized drama within thousands of hours of raw behavioral footage, turning animal instincts into relatable character arcs.

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