MORE 3D RE-RELEASES COMING FROM DISNEY (Updated)

Following the striking success of the re-release of The Lion King in 3D — it has sold more than $80 million worth of tickets since its release less than three weeks ago — Disney is planning similar 3D reboots for additional past hits, including 1991’s Beauty and the Beast, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. and The Little Mermaid, the studio announced today (Tuesday). First up will be Beauty and the Beast, which returns to the screen on January 13. The others will be distributed over a two-year period. The cost of converting them to 3D will reportedly be around $10 million each. In a statement, Alan Bergman, president of Walt Disney Studios, said, “Great stories and great characters are timeless, and at Disney we’re fortunate to have a treasure trove of both. We’re thrilled to give audiences of all ages the chance to experience these beloved tales in an exciting new way with 3-D — and in the case of younger generations, for the first time on the big screen.”