What the Disney-Fox Deal Could Mean For Broadway
Will ‘Aladdin,’ ‘Frozen,’ ‘The Devil Wears Prada,’ ‘Father of the Bride’ and ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ all fit under the same roof of a combined studio theatrical division?
By Ashley Lee
Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox is set to impact every sector of the entertainment business, including Broadway, where studio theatrical divisions have been aggressively ramping up. The deal is announced as Fox’s theatrical arm is developing a slew of its screen properties for the stage, leaving the fate of these adaptations in new, but seasoned, hands.
Established in the mid-1990s, Disney Theatrical Productions has set the bar for a hit stage adaptation with the continually thriving The Lion King. Directed by Julie Taymor and featuring songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, the 1997 musical based on the 1994 animated film won six Tony Awards and has surpassed $1.4 billion at the Broadway box office alone. Eclipsing the 13-year run of its Beauty and the Beast stage version, The Lion King has spawned 24 global productions in eight languages, and has a worldwide gross exceeding that of any film, Broadway show or other entertainment title in box-office history.
