Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ is Broadway’s top grosser for 2014

For the second year in a row, Disney’s “The Lion King” has emerged as Broadway’s undisputed monarch, beating out perennial rival “Wicked” for the No. 1 box-office spot for 2014.

Disney Theatrical also saw success with “Aladdin,” which opened in March and was the fifth-top-grossing production of the year.

“The Lion King,” directed by Julie Taymor, brought in approximately $100.2 million in ticket sales for the year at its location at the Minskoff Theatre in New York. The amount is a record annual sum for the family-friendly musical that debuted more than 17 years ago in 1997.

The musical’s 2014 total was up by a little more than 3% from its 2013 box-office count.

“Wicked” brought in about $94.6 million for 2014, down slightly from the year before. The musical at the Gershwin Theatre is younger than “The Lion King” by six years.

Rounding out the box-office top five were “The Book of Mormon,” soon to enter its fifth year on Broadway, with $86.6 million in grosses; “Kinky Boots,” with $68.5 million; and “Aladdin,” with $59.1 million.

Box-office figures were provided by the Broadway League, the nonprofit trade association for the Broadway industry in New York.

“The Lion King” took the No. 1 box-office spot even though it operates at a smaller theater and sold approximately 56,000 fewer seats than “Wicked.” The Disney production’s average ticket price for the year was $142, versus “Wicked’s” $124.

“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” which won the Tony Award in June for new musical, grossed a total of $37.6 million in 2014.

Twitter: @DavidNgLAT