The world has been waiting with baited breath for Disney’s live action adaptation of the popular classic ‘The Lion King’ and when it finally opened in cinemas last week, 274 000 people around the country flocked to cinemas to see the story come to life.
The film roared to life as it took in R24.5 million over the weekend, making this the biggest July and the third biggest opening weekend of all time at the South African Box Office, only behind Marvel Studios’ ‘Avengers: Endgame’ and ‘Avengers: Infinity War’.
Friday 19 July saw The Lion King take in over R6.4 million, which is the biggest opening day July has ever seen in South Africa. Saturday’s R9.8 million is the second biggest box office day ever, only behind Avengers: Endgame’s opening Saturday (27 April 2019). This weekend is also the biggest opening for a Disney-branded film.
Elsewhere on the African continent, The Lion King opened at number one in both East and West Africa, also with the biggest July opening day and the all-time biggest opening weekend in July ever. In East Africa it opened with over kes 16.2 million (the fourth biggest opening weekend) and in West Africa, the tally was over N74.5 million (the fifth biggest opening weekend).
Disney’s The Lion King, directed by Jon Favreau, journeys to the African savanna where a future king is born. Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his. The all-star cast includes Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala, James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, John Kani as Rafiki and Billy Eichner as Timon. Utilizing pioneering filmmaking techniques to bring treasured characters to life in a whole new way, Disney’s The Lion King is now in cinemas nationwide.
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