LION KING 3D Expected to Gross $25 Million in First Weekend

Defying all projections, Disney's re-release of "The Lion King" earned a first-day gross of $8.8 million at the domestic box office, according to the Hollywood Reporter, and is now on course to gross as much as $25 million for the weekend.

Lion King claimed the top spot over three new films, "Drive," "I Don't Know How She Does It," and "Straw Dogs."

Released in 1994, "The Lion King" remains one of the most successful animated films of all time. The classic tale of the African savanna wowed audiences worldwide with spectacular hand-drawn animation along with inspiring songs by Sir Elton John and Tim Rice, plus an evocative score by renowned composer Hans Zimmer.

Three years later, the landmark film was adapted into a Tony Award®-winning musical, becoming an instant hit on Broadway, where earlier this year it became the seventh longest-running show ever. Winning over 70 major awards, it has delighted more than 55 million theatergoers around the globe.

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Photo Credit: Walt Disney