Monday Morning Box Office Report: The Lion King Reigns

Posted by on September 19th, 2011   Filed under: Box Office
Source: IMDb

It was a big win for Disney over the weekend as their animated classic The Lion King climbed back to the top of the box office some 17 years after its initial debut. The 3D re-release earned about $30 million and will likely pave the way for even more 3D conversions of older films. Its closest competition was Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion, which pocketed another $15 million despite falling to #2. The majority of the other new releases underperformed including Nicholas Winding Refn’s Drive, which earned $11 million, plus Straw Dogs and I Don’t Know How She Does It, which made a paltry $5 million and $4.5 million respectively. Meanwhile The Help spent its sixth straight week in the top 5, dropping to #4, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes spent its seventh straight week in the top 10. Things should get a lot more interesting next week with Brad Pitt facing off against Taylor Lautner.

1. The Lion King — $29.3M
2. Contagion — $14.5M
3. Drive — $11M
4. The Help — $6.44M
5. Straw Dogs — $5M
6. I Don’t Know How She Does It — $4.5M
7. The Debt — $2.95M
8. Warrior — $2.77M
9. Rise of the Planet of the Apes — $2.62M
10. Colombiana — $2.3M



  • Colin

    Drive didn’t do too bad… it made back nearly all of its budget in three days.

  • jonatho

    @Colin
    Yes, and if you include boxoffice overseas, probably twice that.

  • indianamcclain

    I was really happy when I saw this only because first off, I love the Lion King. Second, this could mean that they’ll re-release Alladin.

  • Juan

    Warrior is one of the best movies of 2011. Without a doubt,the movie will be in all the top 10 lists at the end of the year.

  • Niklas

    cant wait for Lion King on Blu-Ray

    Aladdin next please! and Robin Hood! and Little Mermaid!

  • Colin

    Looks like estimates were almost half a million off for Drive… it’s actually closer to 11.5 million, very nice.

  • James

    I sort of hoped that maybe Drive would push through, but it was pretty much expected that a more obscure movie like that wouldn’t draw the masses. Shame, for it is a superb movie.