‘Lilo & Stitch’ Soars to New Heights at the Box Office
The box office landscape is buzzing, and Disney’s ‘Lilo & Stitch’ has taken center stage by soaring past its competitors to become the second-highest grossing film of 2025, surpassing the celebrated thriller ‘Sinners.’ Let’s delve into the exhilarating numbers, trends, and newcomers that contributed to this blockbuster weekend.
A Record-Breaking Memorial Day Weekend
The recent Memorial Day weekend featured a dazzling array of films, with ‘Lilo & Stitch’ and ‘Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning’ once again dominating the charts. Together, they fueled a staggering $149 million haul across the U.S. and Canada, reflecting a remarkable 120% increase from last year’s weekend box office. Other notable entries included Sony’s ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ and the A24 horror flick ‘Bring Her Back,’ adding a fresh twist to theater offerings.
‘Lilo & Stitch’: Breaking Records
Taking the crown for the weekend, ‘Lilo & Stitch’ raked in $63 million from 4,410 locations across North America. This impressive feat has pushed its domestic ticket sales to $280.1 million, a number that solidifies its status as the second-highest grossing film of the year. Internationally, the film boasts a monumental total of $610.8 million.
Meanwhile, ‘Sinners’ continues to impress, maintaining strong box office presence even in its seventh weekend with an additional $5.2 million, leading to a cumulative total of $267.1 million domestically and $350.1 million worldwide.
The Competition: ‘Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning’
In the battle for box office supremacy, ‘Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning’ secured the second spot, earning $27.3 million from 3,861 locations. Though this marks a 57% drop from its opening weekend, the film has amassed $122.6 million in domestic sales. Despite its hefty $400 million production budget, its global earnings have climbed to $353.8 million, as it begins to tap into international markets.
“This is the year of long-term playability,” remarked Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s senior media analyst. “The currency of word of mouth and strong holds matter more than just opening weekend dollars.”
New Kids on the Block
Making waves among newcomers, ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ debuted with an estimated $21 million from 3,809 locations. Featuring the iconic duo of Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, the film introduces a new kung fu prodigy, Li Fong (played by Ben Wang). Despite mixed reviews, audiences bestowed an A- CinemaScore upon the PG-13 rated film, indicating strong viewer engagement. Its modest production budget of $45 million positions it well for sustained success in the coming weeks.
Horror Makes Its Mark
Another exciting entry, ‘Bring Her Back,’ rounded out the top five with $7.1 million from 2,449 screens. The film, directed by the talented twin duo Danny and Michael Philippou, stars Sally Hawkins as a foster mother embroiled in disturbing plans. Garnering a B+ CinemaScore, it represents a significant offering in the horror genre until the upcoming ’28 Years Later’, slated to hit theaters on June 20.
Looking Ahead: A Promising Summer Box Office
As the summer season heats up, the box office outlook looks promising. With May expected to close out at a robust $973 million, this marks a 75% increase compared to May 2024. While there’s still a long journey to reach the $4 billion target that pre-pandemic summers achieved, the excitement generated thus far hints at a bright future for cinema lovers.
Top 10 Movies by Domestic Box Office
Here’s a quick rundown of the top-grossing films from Friday through Sunday, based on estimates from Comscore:
- ‘Lilo & Stitch’ – $63 million
- ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ – $27.3 million
- ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ – $21 million
- ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ – $10.8 million
- ‘Bring Her Back’ – $7.1 million
- ‘Sinners’ – $5.2 million
- ‘Thunderbolts’ – $4.8 million
- ‘Friendship’ – $2.6 million
- ‘The Last Rodeo’ – $2.1 million
- ‘j-hope Tour ‘HOPE ON THE STAGE’ in JAPAN: LIVE VIEWING’ – $939,173
With ‘Lilo & Stitch’ setting the stage for a spectacular summer, film enthusiasts are sure to keep their eyes glued to the screen. Keep an ear to the ground for exciting updates, as the cinematic journey continues!
