The Lion King Continues Its Reign

Brad Pitt, dolphins, Taylor Lautner, Jason Statham… one and all, they fell before might of the King. The Lion King, re-released and in 3-D, came in at number one for the second week in a row, its weekend gross of $22.1 million narrowly beating out new releases Moneyball ($20.6 million) and Dolphin Tale ($20.2 million) while giving Abduction ($11.2 million) and Killer Elite ($9.5 million), both new releases as well, a solid trouncing. Looks like no one every told them it’s a bad idea to go up against the second golden age of Disney.

New limited releases out last weekend included Pearl Jam Twenty ($65,000), Machine Gun Preacher ($44,000) and Puncture ($35,714).

Out next weekend are wide releases 50/50, Courageous, Dream House and What’s Your Number?, with The Double, Margaret, American Teacher, Benda Bilili!, Bunraku, My Joy, Take Shelter and Tucker & Dale vs Evil coming out in limited release—and if at least one of those can’t manage to beat The Lion King (original release date: June 24, 1994), it’ll just be embarrassing.