HOLLYWOOD, June 27 -- 'The Lion King' reigned alone at the top of the nation's box office with $40.91 million at 2,552 screens to dominate the Friday-Sunday period.
The animated feature film, which had taken in a stunning $3.7 million during its first nine days at Radio City Music Hall in New York and the El Capitan in Hollywood, produced the third-highest weekend opening of any film, trailing only 'Jurassic Park' ($50.1 million) and 'Batman Returns' ($45 million).
'The Lion King' easily topped the previous biggest 1994 opening -- the $37.2 million taken in by 'The Flintstones' during the four-day Memorial Day weekend.
The weekend take was far better than many analysts had predicted, with most expecting something in the range of $25 million to $30 million. The Disney release was powered by an intensive marketing campain that began last Christmas and helped by an absence of rival pictures aimed at children and families.
It will probably wind up as this year's top grosser with well over $200 million. 'It is clear that 'The Lion King' will be roaring for a long time to come,' said Richard Cook, head of Disney's distribution arm.
The performance of 'The Lion King,' Disney's 32nd animated feature and its first with no human characters, was particularly impressive since much of its business was done at reduced ticket prices for children and at matinees.
Disney, which has posted a mixed record in live-action films, has demonstrated a near-flawless ability to make hugely profitable animation, starting with 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit,' and building through 'The Little Mermaid,' 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'Aladdin' and now 'The Lion King.'
'The Lion King' is likely to dominate the box office into mid-July. It will probably be well past $100 million in grosses by the time 20th Century Fox opens the other potential summer blockbuster, Arnold Schwarznegger action film 'True Lies,' on July 15.
Five potentially strong performers are opening this week for the key Fourth of July weekend. Disney's romantic comedy 'I Love Trouble,' starring Julia Roberts, and Columbia's kid comedy 'Little Big League,' will open Wednesday; Fox's comedy 'Baby's Day Out,' Universal's 'The Shadow,' with Alec Baldwin, and MGM's bombfest 'Blown Away' roll out Friday.
However, studios are probably regretting thedecision to open a film a week after 'The Lion King.' Its attractiveness was probably a major factor in keeping down the grosses of the weekend's other major opening, Warner Bros.' 'Wyatt Earp,' which took in a lukewarm $7.6 million at 1,859 screens to come in fourth.
'Wyatt Earp,' despite starring Kevin Costner, will probably wind up with a disappointing final gross of less than $30 million -- far short of its reported price tag of $65 million.
'Wyatt Earp' was hampered by poor reviews, a three-hour-plus running time and glut of cowboy films. It is the eighth Western to open in the past nine months following Columbia's 'Geronimo,' Disney's 'Tombstone,' Savoy's 'Lightning Jack,' Fox's 'Bad Girls,' Warner's 'Maverick,' Universal's 'The Cowboy Way' and Columbia's 'City Slickers II: the Legend of Curly's Gold.'
Fox's third weekend of 'Speed' continued to hold up well in second place, losing just 4 percent from the previous weekend with $12.4 million at 2,108 screens. It has now taken in over $55 million after 17 days and should double that by the end of its run.
Columbia's second weekend of 'Wolf' also continued to perform well in third with $12.1 million at 2,117 screens to scare up $37.5 million after 10 days.
Universal's fifth weekend of 'The Flintones' finished fifth with $6.1 million at 2,360 screens to give it nearly $105 million after 31 days and making it the first movie to cross the $100 million mark this year.
Columbia's third weekend of 'City Slickers II' rode into sixth with a respectable $4.6 million at 2,243 screens, followed by Warner's sixth weekend of 'Maverick' with $3.6 million at 2,056 screens to edge past $80 million after 38 days. 'Maverick' and 'Tombstone,' with $55 million, are the only recent Westerns to perform well.
MGM's second weekend of 'Getting Even With Dad' continued to disappoint, with $3.1 million at 1,995 screens to give it $11 million after 10 days. The studio, which continues to struggle, paid Macaulay Culkin $8 million to star in the movie, meaning that MGM is unlikely to see much profit from the comedy.
Rounding out the top 10 were Disney's fourth weekend of 'Renaissance Man' with $1.9 million at 1,308 theaters and Universal's fourth weekend of 'The Cowboy Way' with $1.3 million at 1,043 screens. Disney's ninth weekend of 'When A Man Loves a Woman' was 11th with $1.1 million at 779 screens, edging out Paramount's fifth weekend of 'Beverly Hills Cop III.'
Weekend gross, number of theaters, total gross, weeks in release:
1. 'The Lion King,' $40.9 million, 2,552, $44.7 million, 2 weeks.
2. 'Speed,' $12.4 million, 2,103, $55.4 million, 3 weeks.
3. 'Wolf,' $12.1 million,, 2,117, $37.5 million, 2 weeks.
4. 'Wyatt Earp,' $7.6 million, 1,859, 1 week.
5. 'The Flintstones,' $6.1 million, 2,368, $104.9 million, 5 weeks.
6. 'City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold,' $4.6 million, 2, 243, $30.4 million, 3 weeks.
7. 'Maverick,' $3.6 million, 2,056, $80 million, 6 weeks.
8. 'Getting Even With Dad,' $3.1 million, 1,955, $11.3 million, 2 weeks.
9. 'Renaissance Man,' $1.9 million, 1,308, $20.6 million, 4 weeks.
10. 'The Cowboy Way,' $1.3 million, 1,043, $15.6 million, 4 weeks.
Top per-screen averages:
1. 'The Lion King,' $16,022.
2. 'Speed,' $5,909.
3. 'Wolf,' $5,718.
4. 'Wyatt Earp,' $4,058.
5. 'The Flintstones,' $2,580.
