The animated blockbusters "Beauty and the Beast," "Finding Nemo," "Monsters Inc." and "The Little Mermaid" are to be re-released in U.S. theaters in 3D.

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The movies are expected to return to the big screen during the next two years, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday. "Beauty and the Beast" will be the first in the lineup and will make its comeback in January.

Disney's announcement regarding the re-release of the four classic titles comes after the studio's "The Lion King 3D" earned $80 million in the United States in the last three and a half weeks, the newspaper noted.

"Great stories and great characters are timeless, and at Disney we're fortunate to have a treasure trove of both," Alan Bergman, president of Walt Disney Studios, said in a statement issued to the Times.

"We're thrilled to give audiences of all ages the chance to experience these beloved tales in an exciting new way with 3D -- and in the case of younger generations, for the first time on the big screen."