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Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” remake is on track for the biggest-ever Memorial Day weekend opening after earning $55 million across Friday and preview screenings. But theaters get not one, but two blockbusters this weekend, with Paramount’s “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” taking in $24.8 million on opening day — a franchise-best figure for Tom Cruise‘s long-running espionage series.
At the top of the charts, the opening day of “Lilo & Stitch” at 4,110 venues is the second-biggest so far in 2025, just behind the $57.1 million notched by “A Minecraft Movie” back in April. The PG-rated family comedy could beat Tom Cruise in two departments, not just vying to more than double the debut of “The Final Reckoning” this weekend, but also pacing ahead of the four-day 2022 opening of “Top Gun: Maverick” ($160 million) to reach a new record Memorial Day weekend opening.
It’s an impressive showing for Disney, especially after its habit of producing live-action reworks of animated favorites reached a low-point with “Snow White,” which bombed in March, grossing $204 million worldwide against a $250 million production budget. But unlike that remake of a nearly 90-year-old film, the source material for “Lilo & Stitch” is much younger (plus, the movie was much cheaper to make at a $100 million production budget, plus marketing). The animated original was a respectable theatrical performer in 2002, with $273 million worldwide, but this remake will surpass that gross in just its opening weekend.
The enduring popularity of the animated feature has primed “Lilo & Stitch” to be an event blockbuster. Reviews lean favorable, but audiences seem enthused, as indicated by the glowing “A” grade issued by moviegoer survey firm Cinema Score. That’s a great sign for future weeks as schools begin to let out for summer.
Dean Fleischer Camp directs, while the film stars Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Hannah Waddingham, Courtney B. Vance and Zach Galifianakis. Chris Sanders, who was a writer and director on the animated original, also reprises his voice role as the feral blue alien Stitch.
But “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” is no slouch in second, pushing to power to a franchise-high opening in 3,857 venues. The series’ three-day record was set by 2018’s “Mission: Impossible — Fallout” at $61 million. “The Final Reckoning” is currently looking to break that with $63 million, with the four-day holiday frame forecast for $77 million. International totals are already at $75.9 million. “Mission: Impossible” also gets a revenue boost from luxury tickets in Imax and premium large format auditoriums.
Paramount and Skydance Media are practically pot committed to “The Final Reckoning,” which sports an impressive $400 million production budget, making it one of the most expensive films ever made, even before accounting for its global marketing blitz. The price tag ballooned as Cruise and writer-director Christopher McQuarrie (who helmed the past three entries as well) worked on the film through COVID protocols, two Hollywood strikes and inflation increases spanning a years-long production.
The franchise high for “Mission: Impossible” was set by “Fallout” with $791 million worldwide — a number that “The Final Reckoning” will need to surpass and then some to accomplish a theatrical success. The prior entry, 2023’s “Dead Reckoning,” landed a five-day domestic opening of $74 million before petering out after the debuts of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” ultimately finishing with $172 million domestic and $571 million globally. That’s a fate that “The Final Reckoning” hopes to avoid.
Though reviews have been positive for “The Final Reckoning,” the reception has been a cut below the franchise’s usual reputation as a critical darling. Cinema Score polled a very positive “A-” grade among moviegoers.
That’s what’s at the top of what could be the biggest Memorial Day weekend ever for the box office. The record is currently held by the 2013 frame, which saw $306 million in total grosses with titles like “Fast & Furious 6,” “The Hangover Part III” and “Star Trek Into Darkness.” (Whether any records get broken or not, it’s a huge bounce back from last year — which saw the worst Memorial Day weekend in more than three decades.) “Lilo & Stitch” and “The Final Reckoning” are leading the charge, but it’ll be strong holdover releases that provide an extra edge.
Warner Bros. and New Line’s “Final Destination Bloodlines” added $5.5 million on Friday, projecting a three-day frame north of $19 million. That’d be a 63% drop from an already impressive opening weekend, and enough to push the horror sequel past $100 million domestic within the week. Not shabby for a revival of a dormant horror franchise — in fact, “Bloodlines” already has the highest domestic gross of the franchise, and in just a week of release.
Marvel’s “Thunderbolts*” is currently in fourth place after adding another $2.4 million on Friday, down 42% from its daily total a week ago. The superhero team-up feature has now surpassed a $164 million domestic gross. Though better reviews have helped “Thunderbolts*” hold stronger than its Marvel predecessor “Captain America: Brave New World,” it’s going to have to push to surpass that film’s $200 million domestic finish.
In fifth, “Sinners” is still driving a stake into charts in its sixth weekend of release. The Warner Bros. feature added $2.4 million on Friday, eyeing a 40% drop over the three-day frame. Ryan Coogler’s acclaimed vampire thriller surpassed a $250 million domestic gross on Friday. This weekend, it will move past “The Hangover Part II” ($254 million) to become the 11th-highest-grossing R-rated feature of all time. If it can knock off “The Hangover” ($277 million), it’ll be in the top 10 — not to mention also passing up “Gravity” ($274 million) to become the highest-grossing original release in North America since “Inception” ($292 million) in 2010.
Also opening this weekend, Angel Studios’ bull-riding family drama “The Last Rodeo” saw a $2.07 million opening day from 2,205 locations. The movie, which sports an “A” grade from Cinema Score (practically par for the course for an Angel release), is eyeing a debut in sixth.
Meanwhile, A24’s bromance-gone-bad “Friendship,” starring Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd, added 995 theaters, upping to 1,055 venues in its third weekend expansion. The comedy earned about $1.6 million on Friday.
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