Disney’s “The Lion King” is set to return to Australia in 2026.
Confirmed on Friday, the beloved musical will premiere in April next year at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre.
“Every time we return to Australia, we are reminded of the region’s considerable talent pool, both on stage and off, and we can’t wait to gather a talented and exciting company for ‘The Lion King,’” Disney Theatrical Group Executive Producer Anne Quart and Managing Director Andrew Flatt said.
“On behalf of Thomas Schumacher and all of us at DTG, we thank Stephen Found and Graeme Kearns at the Capitol Theatre and Australian audiences, who have always welcomed our shows so warmly. We’ll see you soon.”
The news marks the third time the production tours Australia, this one coming over ten years after the last run. “The Lion King” first premiered on the same stage in October 2003, followed by a national tour in December 2013.
Kylie Watson-Wheeler, Senior Vice President & Managing Director of The Walt Disney Company Australia and New Zealand said the group is “thrilled” to have the famous show return to Sydney.
“The Walt Disney Company ANZ is proud to be one of only three places in the world where, alongside Broadway and The West End, we self-produce musicals, directly employing hundreds of Australian theatre professionals,” she said.
“Thank you to Destination NSW and the New South Wales Government for partnering with us once again to bring this iconic piece of theatre back for a new generation of fans to experience.”
Destination NSW Acting CEO Karen Jones added: “Disney’s The Lion King is a global phenomenon that has captivated millions of theatre goers around the world, and I’m thrilled it will make its roaring return to Sydney next year.
“Destination NSW is laser-focused on delivering a vibrant calendar of world-class cultural experiences for Sydney to achieve our ambition of making NSW the premier visitor economy of the Asia Pacific worth $91 billion by 2035.”
The cast for the Sydney production will be announced at a later date, while ticketing information is expected to become available later this year.
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