'The Lion King' is the highest grossing hand-drawn animation film in history. File Photo / Supplied
Fans of one of Disney's most beloved animated films will get one last chance to see it in theatres this month - some 17 years after it was first released.
Arguably the last - and some would say the greatest - Disney hand-drawn film, The Lion King has been given
a 3D makeover.
The 3D version of the film will play in theatres for just two weeks, before it is re-released on DVD.
Surveys indicate that The Lion King 3-D could sell $10 million to $12 million in tickets over its first three days in the United States alone, with some marketers with access to the data say $18 million is possible, according to the New York Times.
Disney said The Lion King 3-D was not a test; even if it goes well, the studio does not plan on routinely converting other beloved films in its library to the format and re-releasing them in theaters. A Disney spokeswoman said the 3-D release was more of a way to keep an aging film fresh while allowing a new generation of children to experience it in theaters.
