If you don’t have a chance to see The Lion King on Broadway, the show tours North America to make sure that children and parents from around the continent can enjoy the 15-year-old musical based on the classic Disney film. The touring production has reached a new milestone, hitting $1 billion in total gross.
According to The Associated Press, producers believe that 15 million people have seen the show since it started the tour in 2002 in 70 North American cities. That has propelled it to $1 billion total box office revenue.
“We remain overwhelmed by the enduring response to the show and are enormously thankful to our patrons—new and returning—for their continued enthusiasm and support,” Jack Eldon, a vice president at Disney Theatrical Productions, said in a statement.
The Lion King reached the milestone faster than expected. By comparison, The Phantom of the Opera, which has been touring since 1989, only recently reached $1.5 billion.
While The Lion King’s tour is younger, the Broadway production is still a couple million dollars away from $1 billion. Variety reports that the show has experienced an uptick in ticket sales and reached $972 million at the end of the July 7 week.
The show is also touring internationally and is heading to Australia later this year.
The Lion King film was released in 1994 and won two Oscars for its music, which features a score by Hans Zimmer and songs by Elton John and Tim Rice. It was released in 3D in 2011.
image: Wikimedia Commons
