‘Lion King’ Video Pounces On Market

“The Lion King” is quickly establishing its domain on home video, shattering single-day and firstweek sales records.

In just six days, consumers have purchased 20 million copies of “The Lion King,” putting it in fourth place on the all-time best-seller list in less than a week.

Generating an estimated $340 million at retail, it is the fastestselling retail product of any kind ever, claimed Buena Vista Home Video President Ann Daly.

First-day sales last Tuesday surpassed combined sales of the top three biggest titles in history: “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast,” said Steve Feldstein, spokesman for Disney’s Buena Vista Home Video.

“Aladdin” established a first-week sales record in October 1993 with 10.8 million units. Buena Vista reported first-month sales of 14.2 million units of “Beauty and the Beast” in December 1992 and more than 20 million units of “Snow White” last December.

Retailers are confirming record sales rates.

“It set a record for first-day sales and for sales during the first three days,” Kmart spokesman Dennis Wigent said Friday. “It will easily be the highest volume seller ever for us.”

Likewise, Blockbuster, the nation’s largest video retailer, says “The Lion King” will be the best-selling title for the chain.

Disney Chairman Michael Eisner has said he expects the company will ultimately sell 27 million units before the title is put on moratorium next year, making it the biggest-selling video of all time. “Aladdin” is the current record-holder with 24 million.

Others predicted “The Lion King” could easily reach 30 million copies with an extra push during the 1995 holiday season. Those predictions now seem conservative.

“Our research told us that the consumer purchase intent was higher than anything we’ve ever seen,” Daly said. “All the research in the world couldn’t have predicted this kind of response.”

She said the title is drawing more purchases for adults than any others.

The feeding frenzy has strained the manufacturing capabilities of the Disney video machine. Daly said the videos are being purchased at a rate that is four times faster than they can be manufactured.

“The Lion King,” still playing in some theaters, has grossed $312.1 million in domestic ticket sales and $740 million worldwide, by far the biggest animated feature of all time. But Disney will only see about half of those dollars.

The video will bring Disney nearly $450 million in revenue and nearly $300 million after expenses.