The Lion King was number one at the box office this weekend, earning $22 million and bringing its re-release gross to $61 million, surpassing its steep competition: Aaron Sorkin‘s Moneyball starring Brad Pitt, Twilight star Taylor Lautner‘s Abduction, and the family-friendy Morgan Freeman drama, Dolphin Tale. To date, The Lion King has earned $390 million domestically and is currently the twelfth highest grossing film of all time in America.
The film, which was released in 1994, is one of the most beloved Disney classics, making millions of dollars with a simple re-release seventeen years later. The Lion King‘s re-release began on September 16th, boasting the promise of special collector’s edition of Simba-themed children’s 3D glasses (I obtained them. They’re really, really cool). The film was supposed to only run for two weeks, so this week is your last chance to see it. And get the glasses.
What does this say about the state of American film? I’m not sure. It seems as if filmgoers are sick of seeing the same old hackneyed formula (Abduction), but flocking to The Lion King doesn’t prove that audiences are looking for anything new. Maybe it just says that The Lion King is awesome.
Regardless, I just hope that this starts a trend with Disney re-releasing the most epic and nostalgic films in their vault. The Lion King was the first film that I ever saw in theaters back in 1994, and to see it on the big screen once again was a magical experience. Even the 3D was effective.
Would you go see more Disney films in theaters if they were given re-releases?
