The Lion King” is reigning over the holiday box office. The family film, which is a prequel to “The Lion King” (both the 1994 animated classic and the less canonical 2019 photorealistic remake), earned $12 million on Thursday.

It's looking like a very merry holiday for moviegoing as a flurry of titles, including Oscar contenders 'A Complete Unknown' and 'Babygirl,' open.

The Lion King’ prequel had a bumpy start, debuting with a meager $35 million. While it's expected to make up some ground, 'Mufasa' still has ways to go.