Highest worldwide gross for a stage musical

The highest-grossing stage musical, including all international and touring productions, is The Lion King. The original production opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre on Broadway on 13 November 1997, and has had resident productions in 18 other cities around the world in the years since, as well as numerous regional and international tours. The combined gross of these productions is $11.5 bn (£8.7 bn) as of 2 November 2025.

This show is based on Disney’s 1994 movie of the same name, adapted for the stage by director Julie Taymor. The Broadway production ran at the New Amsterdam until 2006, when it transferred to the Minskoff Theatre (three blocks to the north) to make way for the new stage adaptation of Mary Poppins. Just this production alone has earned a gross of $2.15 bn (£1.63 bn) over its 28-year run.