© Rex Features / Snap
The feature animation took $29.3m in its opening weekend, pushing last week's box-office topper Contagion into second place with $14.5m.
Nicolas Winding Refn's critically-acclaimed action-thriller Drive, starring Ryan Gosling, opened to $11m, followed by Emma Stone-led comedy-drama The Help with $6.4m.
A remake of Straw Dogs, starring James Marsden and Kate Bosworth, rounds out the top five films of the weekend with $5m.
Next weekend sees the release of family adventure Dolphin Tale, Taylor Lautner action vehicle Abduction and sports drama Moneyball.
This week's US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (-) The Lion King 3D - $29,300,000
2. (1) Contagion - $14,500,000
3. (-) Drive - $11,000,000
4. (2) The Help - $6,400,000
5. (-) Straw Dogs - $5,000,000
6. (-) I Don't Know How She Does It - $4,500,000
7. (4) The Debt - $2,945,000
8. (3) Warrior - $2,770,000
9. (7) Rise of the Planet of the Apes - $2,625,000
10. (9) Colombiana - $2,300,000
Watch the trailer for The Lion King 3D below:
