The Lion King at the Hollywood Pantages, Dec. 17

Disney's The Lion King returns to Hollywood in December, with a performance on Thursday, December 17, 2026 at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. The touring production is part of a longer holiday-season stay at the Pantages, with other dates running through the end of the year and into January. If you are building a list of things to do in Los Angeles before the year wraps up, a night with this show is an easy, crowd-pleasing pick.

What to expect

The stage version is built around Julie Taymor's design, which turns performers into giraffes, gazelles, birds and a full savanna of animals through masks, puppets and large-scale costume pieces. You see the people operating them, and that is part of the charm. The score pairs Elton John and Tim Rice's songs from the film with added music and choral work inspired by South African traditions.

The story follows Simba from cub to king, with Mufasa, Scar, Nala, Timon and Pumbaa along the way. It works for first-time theatergoers and for adults who grew up on the animated film. Expect a full-length musical with an intermission, so plan for roughly two and a half hours in the theater.

When and where

When: Thursday, December 17, 2026 (check your ticket for the exact curtain time) Where: Hollywood Pantages Theatre, Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood Tickets: Ticketmaster, linked in the sources below

The listing we have does not publish a start time or a price, so confirm both on the ticket page before you plan your evening. Prices for touring musicals shift with the seat section and the date, and the official seller is the safest place to check.

Getting there

The Pantages is an Art Deco landmark that opened in 1930, and the lobby and gilded auditorium are worth arriving early to see. It sits steps from the Hollywood/Vine Metro B Line station, which spares you the hunt for street parking on a busy December night. If you drive, nearby garages fill up on show nights, so leave extra time.

Holiday weeks in Hollywood draw big crowds along the Boulevard, so dinner reservations nearby are a good idea. If you are comparing options for LA events this weekend or later in the month, the Pantages run also gives you several other dates to choose from. Browse more shows on our arts and culture page.