Here's something the folks at Disney can take real pride in: "The Lion King" is the top ticket of all time. The stage musical has generated the highest total box office of any production in any entertainment medium, with worldwide takings of more than $6.2 billion, a spokesman for Walt Disney Co said on Monday.The musical, which has been running on Broadway since 1997 and has been playing around the world, has exceeded the takings of the animated film of the same name, which are almost $1 billion.
The show quietly took over top spot from the $6 billion-earning "The Phantom of the Opera" late this summer, according to representatives from both shows. "Phantom" producers Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group congratulated "The Lion King" in a statement, calling their rival show "The Pride of Broadway." The total makes "The Lion King" more valuable than any single Harry Potter film, the blockbuster "Titanic," or any of the "Star Wars" movies. By way of comparison, the highest-grossing film in history is "Avatar," with nearly $2.8 billion worldwide.
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-- Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
