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It’s likely that Bob Iger needs to start working on a new installment of Lilo & Stitch immediately. While the movie might not have received an exceptional rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes (with just 70%), it has done incredibly well at the box office.

It looks like Disney’s live-action adaptation of “Lilo & Stitch” is set to be a massive hit at the box office during Memorial Day weekend. Experts predict that the film could rake in anywhere from $185 million to $230 million over the long holiday, which might make it the biggest Memorial Day opening ever. This estimate suggests that the movie will likely earn more than $200M and would comfortably secure a place among the top ten highest-grossing domestic opening weekends of all time (unadjusted for inflation).

The first trailer for live-action ‘LILO & STITCH’ has been released.

In theaters on May 23.

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) March 12, 2025

The highest domestic Memorial Day weekend box office haul (four-day total) belongs to:

“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” (2007)

  • Memorial Day weekend (4-day total): $139.8 million

  • Studio: Disney

  • 3-day total (Fri–Sun): $114.7 million

  • Overall domestic total: $309.4 million

Over the Memorial Day weekend, I was part of the history books as I shattered records for domestic opening, even with factors like inflation and the surge of contemporary blockbusters at play.

Other strong Memorial Day openers include:

  • “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” (2008) – $126.9M (4-day)

  • “X-Men: The Last Stand” (2006) – $122.8M (4-day)

  • “Fast & Furious 6″ (2013) – $117M (4-day)

  • “Aladdin” (2019) – $116.8M (4-day)

If Lilo & Stitch hits the projected $185M–$230M range, it would absolutely shatter the record.

The movie’s triumph can be linked to the lasting appeal of the 2002 animated original, now recognized as one of Disney’s most successful franchises. By 2024, merchandise sales soared from $200 million in 2019 to a staggering $2.6 billion, and Stitch has emerged as a cultural symbol, particularly among young females and girls.

The immense popularity of Lilo & Stitch among audiences can be gauged by the fact that Pixar’s Inside Out 2, which grossed an impressive $154.2 million domestically during its opening weekend and went on to earn nearly $1.7 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing animated film of all time, is expected to be surpassed by over 25% in Stitch’s opening weekend… yes, that’s right, Stitch is poised to break the record set by the highest-grossing animated film ever, but with a substantial margin.

The expected debut of Lilo & Stitch exceeds previous estimates, reinforcing Disney’s stronghold in family-friendly entertainment. This success is due to the film’s promising pre-release buzz and broad appeal, making it a significant summer blockbuster event. Moreover, 2025 could very well be Chris Sanders’ year since he brought Stitch and Toothless (from How to Train Your Dragon) into existence. It’s likely that these two characters will star in the biggest movies of the year.

As a movie critic, I must admit, the only one potentially falling short this weekend is Tom Cruise and Mission Impossible’s final installment. Facing off against a film like Lilo & Stitch, it seems quite challenging for Cruise to secure a victory. The more success Stitch experiences at the box office, the less appealing it becomes for cinemas to allocate screens to anything else. By next weekend, we might witness near-record screenings being allocated to this little blue alien, who has undoubtedly captured the hearts of audiences worldwide. The possibilities are endless when it comes to this film’s box office prospects. If Disney possesses even a hint of common sense, a sequel for these characters could very well be on the horizon, particularly considering their triumph over a less-than-stellar script and the powerful response they’ve elicited.

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2025-05-23 21:06

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