<P> The Lion King was once again released to home media as part of the Walt Disney Signature Collection; first released on Digital HD on August 15, 2017 and on Blu - ray and DVD on August 29, 2017 . </P> <P> The Lion King earned $422,783,777 in North America and an $545,700,000 in other territories for a worldwide total of $968,483,777 . It is currently the 29th highest - grossing film, the seventh highest - grossing animated film of all time worldwide and the third highest - grossing film of Walt Disney Animation Studios (behind Frozen and Zootopia). The film was also the highest - grossing motion picture of 1994 worldwide . After its initial run, having earned $763.4 million, it ranked as the second - highest - grossing film of all time worldwide, behind Jurassic Park . It held the record for the highest - grossing animated feature film (in North America, outside North America, and worldwide) until it was surpassed by the computer animated Finding Nemo (2003), Shrek 2 (2004), Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009), and Toy Story 3 (2010) prior to the 2011 re-release . With the earnings of the 3D run, The Lion King surpassed all the aforementioned films but Toy Story 3 to rank as the second - highest - grossing animated film worldwide--later downgraded to sixth after Frozen (2013), Minions (2015), and Zootopia (2016)--and it remains the highest - grossing hand - drawn animated film . It is also the biggest animated movie of the last 50 years in terms of estimated attendance . </P> <P> The Lion King had a limited release in North America on June 15, 1994, playing in only two theaters, El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles and Radio City Music Hall in New York City . It still earned $1,586,753 across the weekend of June 17--19, standing at the tenth place of the box office ranking . The average of $793,377 per theater stands as the largest ever achieved during a weekend . The wide release followed on June 24, 1994, in 2,550 screens . The digital surround sound of the film led many of those theaters to implement Dolby Laboratories' newest sound systems . The Lion King grossed $40.9 million--which at the time was the fourth biggest opening weekend earning ever and the highest sum for a Disney film--to top the weekend box office . It also earned a rare "A +" rating from CinemaScore . By the end of its theatrical run, in spring 1995, it had earned $312,855,561, being the second - highest - grossing 1994 film in North America behind Forrest Gump . Outside North America, it earned $455.8 million during its initial run, for a worldwide total of $768.6 million . Box Office Mojo estimates that the film sold over 74 million tickets in the US in its initial theatrical run . </P> <P> The film was re-issued on December 25, 2002 for IMAX and large - format theaters . Don Hahn explained that eight years after The Lion King got its original release, "there was a whole new generation of kids who haven't really seen it, particularly on the big screen ." Given the film had already been digitally archived during production, the restoration process was easier, while also providing many scenes with enhancements that covered up original deficiencies . An enhanced sound mix was also provided to, as Hahn explained, "make the audience feel like they're in the middle of the movie ." On its first weekend, The Lion King made $2.7 million from 66 locations, a $27,664 per theater average . This run ended with $15,686,215 on May 30, 2003 . </P>

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