The Lion King Comes to the Pantages Theatre

Disney's The Lion King is back at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre, and for anyone scanning the calendar for things to do in Los Angeles over the holiday break, a touring stop of this scale doesn't come around often. The show returns for a short run of performances on December 26 and 27, 2026, bringing the same puppetry, staging, and Elton John and Tim Rice score that has kept the musical running on Broadway for decades.

What to expect

The Lion King is built around Julie Taymor's stage design, which turns actors into a savanna of giraffes, elephants, and birds through mask work and puppetry rather than costumes alone. It's the kind of production that plays as well to first-time theatergoers as to people who have seen the movie a dozen times, and it's a reliable pick among LA events this weekend lists every time it swings through town. Simba's arc from cub to king carries the emotional weight, but the visual invention is what people remember walking out of the Pantages.

Families should expect a full-length musical, not a shortened kids' matinee: the show runs close to two and a half hours with an intermission, so plan accordingly if bringing young children. The story itself follows the familiar Disney film fairly closely, with a handful of numbers added for the stage version.

When and where

When: December 26-27, 2026 (multiple performances) Where: Hollywood Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 Tickets: Ticketmaster (see sources below)

The Pantages itself is worth the trip independent of what's on stage. The Art Deco theater has anchored this stretch of Hollywood Boulevard since 1930, and its lobby and auditorium are landmarks in their own right. It sits a short walk from the Hollywood/Vine Metro station, which makes it one of the easier venues in the neighborhood to reach without hunting for street parking.

Getting there and planning around it

Hollywood Boulevard gets busy in the run-up to New Year's, so arriving early gives you time to find parking in one of the nearby structures or catch the Red Line without stress. Given the exact performance times can shift between the run's dates, double-check your ticket confirmation for the specific showtime you booked before heading out. For anyone building out a longer visit, the Pantages sits close enough to the rest of Hollywood's attractions to fold into a full day, and it's a dependable entry on any list of upcoming events Los Angeles theater fans track heading into the new year.

Whether you're a longtime fan of the musical or seeing it for the first time, a run at the Pantages remains one of the more dependable big-stage options in a city that has no shortage of ways to spend an evening out.