In a remarkable turn of events for the film industry, “Lilo & Stitch” has set a new benchmark by surpassing Tom Cruise’s 2022 blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick” as the biggest domestic earner for Memorial Day weekend. The animated film, which is a faithful remake of the beloved 2002 original, has garnered an impressive estimated total of $325 million during the holiday weekend alone.
Fifteen years later, “Lilo & Stitch” continues to resonate with audiences for its nostalgic charm. In the time since its first release, it has gained an impressive and passionate cult following. Audiences have responded to the amazing out-of-this-world adventure between a six-legged alien and a Hawaiian girl. This story is just as powerful for old readers and new ones too. This powerful combination has powered the film’s strong box office run.
Opening with $63 million, “Lilo & Stitch” exceeded all projections and outpaced notable recent films such as “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” which debuted to $63 million. We want to be very clear about one thing. Though some attempted to compare “Lilo & Stitch” to Disney’s own “The Lion King” (2019), which opened to $185 million, “Lilo & Stitch” didn’t need those types of comparisons to make history on its own.
The movie has since crossed — and is still well over — the $300 million mark in global sales. This achievement cements its place as one of this year’s cinematic juggernauts.
Other films released during the Memorial Day weekend included “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” which earned $19.7 million, and “Thunderbolts,” which brought in $9.2 million. The illustrious animated “Minecraft Movie” opened big with just $2.2 million. In the meantime, smaller fare like Sinners, The Last Rodeo, and Friendship accounted for $8.8 million, $5.3 million, and $4.6 million, respectively.
Memorial Day box office returns increased by 254% compared to 2022! Films grossed approximately $132 million for the Friday-to-Monday period, a hopeful 63% improvement over the same time frame last year. This year’s numbers reflect a significant increase in both audience attendance and visitor spending.
Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst at Comscore, was enthusiastic about the strong movie slate headed into the four-day holiday weekend.
“I can’t think of a better lineup of films to ignite leading up to Memorial weekend to ignite the spark that got us this record-breaking holiday frame.” – Paul Dergarabedian
The award-winning success of “Lilo & Stitch” underlines the high demand for quality animated features. It’s a testament to the huge demand for family-friendly fare, especially this time of year. Chris Aronson, a distribution executive at Paramount Pictures, praised the cinematic experience offered by the latest installments of popular franchises.
“The spectacle of what Tom and McQ put on the screen, it screams theatrical.” – Chris Aronson
Even with this success, it was not all smooth sailing for every film this holiday weekend. Disney’s “Snow White,” for instance, debuted to a modest $43 million and has faced criticism regarding its necessity in today’s market.
