Simba may be king of the jungle, but Disney’s special edition release of the animated sequel, The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, was no match for 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s The Passion of the Christ, which topped sales charts and broke records during its first week at retail.
According to Daily Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, Mel Gibson’s take on the story of Jesus’ prosecution, crucifixion and ascension sold nearly 9 million combined DVD and VHS units during its first week in release on home video, making it the top-selling live-action title of all time.
After grossing more than $600 million worldwide, The Passion sold more than 4.1 million copies on the first day alone. The impressive home video debut broke the first-week record previously held by New Line Home Entertainment’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride Special Edition came in at No. 2 on home video sales charts for the week. Disney/Pixar’s Finding Nemo still holds the title for the best-selling home video release of all time, having sold a whopping 17 million copies during its first week.
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