The numbers are in: The Lion King is officially the No. 1 movie in the world.
According to Deadline, the Disney remake, which debuted on July 19, brought in a total of $544 million. The Jon Favreau-directed film is the highest opening for a Disney animation reboot after Beauty and the Beast, which brought in $174 million.
President, Worldwide Cinema and Chief Operating Officer for RealD, Travis Reid, explained his excitement towards the game-changing film.
“The Lion King is a visually magnificent entertainment experience that is even more spectacular and special when you see it in RealD. This film was designed and shot to be seen in 3D and audiences fully appreciate the craftsmanship that went into making this film completely unique,” Reid said. “Congratulations to Jon Favreau and the Disney production, distribution and marketing teams on a truly remarkable film.”
The film wasn’t the only thing that had people talking this weekend. On the day of the film’s release, Beyoncé released her LP, The Lion King: The Gift. The project features vocals from Kendrick Lamar, JAY-Z, Childish Gambino, Blue Ivy Carter and more. Queen Bey, who plays Nala in the film, spoke on the importance of creating a soundtrack that highlights Africa’s beauty.
“This is sonic cinema,” Beyoncé said in the statement announcing the new album. “This is a new experience of storytelling. I wanted to do more than find a collection of songs that were inspired by the film. It is a mixture of genres and collaboration that isn’t one sound. It is influenced by everything from R&B, pop, hip hop and Afro Beat.”
In addition to Beyoncé, Chance The Rapper and Donald Glover have expressed the impact of snagging a role in the iconic film.”[The Lion King is] a timeless story, but I think the way Favreau has constructed it, it’s a very timely story as well,” Glover said. “I just wanted to be a part of a global good,” Glover noted.
Congrats to the entire cast!