Simba and friends of Lion King 3D topped this weekend’s box office raking in a whopping $29.3 million while Contagion placed second at $14.5 million. Hit the jump for the full box office report!!
(Variety)–
Despite competition from notable newcomers and a pandemic-premised holdover, the 3D re-release of Disney’s classic “The Lion King” won the domestic box office this weekend with an outstanding $29.3 million, pushing Warner Bros.’ “Contagion” to second with $14.5 million, a slightly better-than-expected 36% drop from its debut frame.
This marks the first time a re-release has won the weekend B.O. since the “Star Wars” trilogy was put back in theaters in 1997. “Lion King” was brought back to tubthump the Oct. 4 DVD and Blu-ray release, though global distribution prexy Dave Hollis said the decision to re-release it in theaters prior to the home entertainment bow was an effort to satisfy consumer demand.Hollis added that the rousing success of the film (Friday predictions had “Lion King” topping out at $18 million) is “the manifestation of the circle of life” — adults who saw the film when they were kids are now taking their kids, new grandparents are taking grandchildren and so on.
Internationally, Sony’s “The Smurfs” is likely celebrating its sixth week on top with $17.3 million from overseas markets, besting promising newcomer “Johnny English Reborn” from Universal. Pic opened to $11.7 million in territories including Russia and Australia, marking the best bow for a Rowan Atkinson starrer.
This weekend’s pair of R-rated thrillers both landed near the top of the charts Stateside. FilmDistrict’s “Drive” grossed $11 million while Sony/Screen Gems’ remake of “Straw Dogs” made $5 million, putting it in fifth. Wedged between the two, Disney’s week-to-week aud-pleaser “The Help” pulled in $6.4 million for its sixth frame in the top five.
“Drive,” which stars Ryan Gosling as a heist getaway driver, is playing particularly well in urban areas this weekend. According to Bob Berney, FilmDistrict’s prexy of theatrical distribution, 11.6% of “Drive’s” weekend gross was made in Los Angeles (where the film is set and was filmed), up from the around 8% typical of wide releases.
In limited release, Sony Pictures Classics’ “Restless” opened on five screens this weekend to an estimated per screen average of $3,457.
