The Lion King to become Broadway’s first $1 billion grossing show

Musical The Lion King is set to become Broadway’s first show to reach $1 billion in grosses, according to new box office estimates. The musical adaptation of Disney’s hit animated movie is slated to reach a musical theatre milestone, earning the 10-figure gross following the week of performances ending 20 October (13).
The production debuted in 1997, and is even beating out the Broadway’s longest-running musical, The Phantom of the Opera, which has been entertaining audiences since 1988, but has yet to reach the billion dollar mark.
The Disney production, which features music from Sir Elton John and direction from former Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark visionary Julie Taymor, will also become the fourth longest-running show on Broadway in a few weeks, edging out revolutionary musical, Les Miserables.