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Disney did a remarkable thing this last weekend when it re-issued The Lion King to a new generation of young ones to the tune of $30.2 million.

I’d be curious, actually, to crawl over audience demographics, as I’m sure the bulk of it was parents taking their kids, as well as, hopefully, the 20-somethings of my generation wanting to re-remember what it was like seeing The Lion King in theaters (albeit while wearing those absurd glasses for the 3D upgrade).

Whatever the case, what I do know now is that $30.2 million in the kitty already for 3D converting and light advertising is a tremendous return for Disney. (Our own Reagen Sulewski predicted a weekend of just $11.4 million. He wasn’t alone, though. No one could’ve predicted $30 million). There’s more on the way, too, as the re-issue will be in theaters more than one week, and then the inevitable Blu-ray release.

As much as I like The Lion King - it’s my favorite of the Beauty and the Beast/Little Mermaid/Aladdin era - this re-issue deal feels very weird. Just weird. Did I mention it’s weird?!

Let’s see… we’ll begin with a positive or two, because I like The Lion King quite a bit and don’t want to poo-poo with the negative stuff already.

A good thing to take away here is that the result might inspire Disney to reinvest in animated movie musicals again. It seems to have done so already with The Princess and the Frog raking in an okay $104 million. Tangled did even better with $200 million in U.S. ticket sales. But traditional, hand-drawn 2D not only winning a weekend, but clinching fourth-best September opening of all time? The numbers would be hard to ignore.

It also brings joy to my heart knowing that such a thing of quality still resonates with audiences -- both young and old. Rewatch The Lion King’s opening theme and tell me you aren’t just captivated. Seventeen years later and the thing’s still just as powerful. Some of you might even cry.

And I think of the kids, too. That they can watch The Lion King and not be bored by it. That ease in pacing isn’t such a bad thing, so long as the product is good.

There’s a certain bit of pride working within me, of course. I had nothing to do with the creating and execution of such an awesome movie, and yet I can claim it as mine, I guess, for really doing nothing at all. I was simply alive - an eight-year-old - when The Lion King was released.

There’s a great comment posted by user MidnightSun201 on YouTube for the trailer to the new 3D cut that, well, speaks for itself:

Dear New Generation,

The Lion King Was During Our Generation....Just Because It's Coming Out In 3-D Doesn't Make It Yours.

Sincerely,

The 90s Kids

We’re proud people, us ‘90s kids. We had great movies, great television, C+C Music Factory and slap bracelets. Yes! Of course we’ll want to let others at least share in some of those geniuses.

So for all of this, $30.2 million in three days should get me excited. In a way, it does, but - as I alluded to - it also leaves me feeling a little weird.

To think The Lion King’s success will lead to some kind of Disney/2D/hand-drawn renaissance is probably misguided and naïve. The easier, cheaper and more efficient route would have Disney churning out more of its greatest hits in dizzying 3D. You know, Beauty and the Beast followed by Aladdin, etc. etc. Disney could keep doing it if it makes sense to do so.

And therein lies the rub. In the short term, this re-issue business seems nice. (Especially for us ‘90s kids. Am I right, MidnightSun201?) But what does The Lion King 3D say about the long term, if anything at all?

Were the 3D conversions to keep happening, it’d say quite a bit. Mostly, it’d no longer seem fashionable to criticize remakes and sequels as lacking on the creative end when a studio is literally re-releasing the same movie and making bank off of it. Just load up the 3D conversion software or whatever and away we go. Nothing new is being made here; just dressing up old hat in new clothes.

And then it’s disturbing that this kind of thing would work so well. Although, remember that period of time about a decade ago when the broadcast nets were accruing huge audiences for those nostalgic TV specials and reunions? The Lion King 3D kind of feels like that. Maybe we’ll go ga-ga over the first few re-issues - I really can’t imagine it’ll end with The Lion King - and then it’ll be out of our systems.

Would love to know, though, what effect The Lion King might have on the kiddies. Perhaps it’ll spark an interest in them to peruse other favorites in Disney’s ‘90s-era catalog - with or without the 3D help.