BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Walt Disney Pictures' new live-action remake of "The Lion King" hit cinemas on the Chinese mainland Friday.

The American musical drama film tells of a young lion prince fleeing his kingdom only to learn the true meaning of responsibility and bravery after his father's murder.

Filmgoers on the Chinese mainland are the first to see the new "Lion King," with the film's U.S. premiere to take place seven days later, on July 19.

The original 1994 movie of the same name was screened in China in July 1995, more than one year later than in the United States.

On Maoyan, a major Chinese film database and ticketing platform, the film has a current rating of 8.9 out of 10 points, and its box office sales are expected to reach about 1.2 billion yuan (174.8 million U.S. dollars) in the Chinese mainland.