That’s more than “Beauty and the Beast” made in previews, and the movie went on to make $174 million in its opening. ”The Lion King” is eyeing close to a $200 million domestic debut this weekend. “The Lion King” is projected to open with huge numbers at the domestic box office this weekend.
The movie, a remake of Disney’s 1994 animated classic, earned $23 million in the US in Thursday previews. That’s more than the $16.3 million the Beauty and the Beast remake made in Thursday previews in 2017. “Beauty and the Beast” ultimately made $174 million in its opening weekend. It’s the highest-grossing Disney remake yet with $504 million domestically and $1.26 billion worldwide.
But “The Lion King” could easily steal the crown. For comparison, “The Lion King” also beat the previews of last year’s “Incredibles 2” which earned $18 million on Thursday and $182 million in its opening weekend. Could “The Lion King” be looking at a $200 million domestic debut? Box Office Mojo projected it to make $190 million this weekend. Boxoffice.come estimated $185 million, but noted that this summer has been a “roller coaster ride” where “tracking models have encountered a consistent series of challenges.” “The Lion King” has already made $130.5 million internationally, according to Box Office Mojo.
