After many years of sitting at the top, The Lion King has ousted The Phantom of the Opera as the highest grossing show of all time on Broadway.

According to box office figures released today, The Lion King grossed $853,846,062 while The Phantom of the Opera has grossed a total of $853,122,847. The show brought in $2 million this past week, pushing it ahead of Phantom, who brought in $1.2 million.

Even though the numbers are pretty close, this is a real achievement The Lion King has accomplished. Think of it: Phantom, which got its start in January 1988, has been running for nearly 10 years longer and still Lion, which started in November 1997, managed to catch up and surpass it.

Both shows are extremely popular, though The Lion King may have an advantage because it offers a visual and auditory spectacle that kids and adults can enjoy. From the brightly colored sets, costumes, and puppets to the lively music, the entire family can enjoy the show.

Of course, none of this discredits the accomplishments achieved by the super successful Phantom show. It will remain on record as one of the highest grossing shows of all time, for a very long time.

(Source)