Credit: DisneySince it was first released in 1994, The Lion King has been one of the Walt Disney Company’s most iconic, recognizable, and, most importantly, profitable blockbusters. Nearly 30 years later, it seems that The Lion King has given Disney a huge boost once again.
The last several years have not been easy for Disney, with flop after theatrical flop costing the company nearly a billion dollars (by some estimates).
However, the recent, surprisingly sustained success of Pixar’s Elemental and the return of Disney’s The Lion King theatrical stage adaptation in London’s West End is turning things around.
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According to Deadline, the revenues for Disney in the United Kingdom jumped a staggering 20% from the previous year, in large part due to the success of The Lion King. Along with the continued strength of the Disney+ platform and potentially more successful box office returns from movies like Elemental, things are looking up for the company.
Needless to say, Disney could use a boost right now. Currently, the company is locked in two different high-profile lawsuits with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and facing accusations that its iconic Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, has uncomfortably close ties to the local government and its tax situations.
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That said, The Lion King has always been a dependable source of income for Disney. The original movie grossed nearly $800 million at the box office (in 1994, it should be stressed), won two Academy Awards, produced a mega-selling soundtrack composed by Elton John and Tim Rice, and led to a number of successful TV spin-offs and direct-to-DVD sequels.
Then, theater legend Julie Taymor was brought on board to adapt The Lion King in the 1990s for the stage as Disney’s The Lion King, which instantly became one of the biggest success stories in Broadway history, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical. It has currently played at London’s Lyceum Theater for over 7,500 performances.
Decades after its initial production, Disney’s The Lion King recently achieved a record for the single highest-grossing week in Broadway history, so clearly, Simba, Mufasa, and Scar are still going strong in audiences’ hearts.
Related: Disney Slammed for Wanting Live Action ‘The Lion King’ Cinematic Universe
Most recently, The Lion King was adapted for a photorealistic CGI remake starring Donald Glover, Beyonce, and Seth Rogen. A sequel is planned for 2024. In other words, those big cats keep making money for the company.
It will have to remain to be seen whether Disney can pull out of its recent financial woes through the strength of The Lion King alone, but a 20% jump is certainly a huge boom for the company.
Will The Lion King make money for Disney forever? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!