Lion King stage musical is showbiz's most successful ever event

With a worldwide gross of more than $6.2bn, The Lion King stage musical has now achieved the most successful box office total of any work in any media in entertainment history.

The show quietly took over top spot from The Phantom Of The Opera late this summer, according to representatives from both shows.

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 $2.8bn worldwide.