Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch and Paramount’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning are lighting up the box office, setting the stage for what could be the biggest Memorial Day weekend ever. According to Variety, Thursday previews on May 22, 2025, saw Lilo & Stitch pull in a massive $14 million, eyeing a potential Disney record for the holiday, while Mission: Impossible nabbed $8.3 million, the best preview night in the franchise’s history. With both films dropping on May 23, 2025, this one-two punch is being dubbed a “Stitchpossible” moment, echoing the cultural and financial frenzy of 2023’s Barbenheimer.
Lilo & Stitch, directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, is projected to dominate with $150 million to $160 million over the four-day holiday weekend across 4,410 North American theaters. Some analysts, buoyed by sizzling pre-sale numbers, think it could climb even higher, potentially rivaling Moana 2’s $225 million Thanksgiving haul. The film, a reimagining of the 2002 animated classic, follows a young Hawaiian girl, Lilo, who adopts a chaotic alien named Stitch, weaving a heartfelt tale of family and “ohana.” With a $100 million production budget and another $100 million in global marketing, it’s poised to join the ranks of Disney’s top live-action remake openings, like 2019’s The Lion King ($191 million) and 2017’s Beauty and the Beast ($174 million). Early reactions praise its heart and humor, with a 72% Rotten Tomatoes score and a 93% audience rating.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eighth and possibly final chapter in Tom Cruise’s action saga, is tracking for $75 million to $85 million from 3,800 theaters over the four-day frame. Its $8.3 million preview haul tops the previous franchise record set by Dead Reckoning’s $7 million in 2023. Despite a hefty $400 million price tag—swelled by pandemic delays, Hollywood strikes, and inflation—the film’s global opening is expected to exceed $200 million, with $125 million to $130 million from international markets. With an 80% Rotten Tomatoes score and 93% audience approval, it’s resonating with older audiences, though some critics note its fan-service heavy callbacks might not click with casual viewers. Still, it’s on track to beat the franchise’s best three-day opening, Fallout’s $61 million in 2018.
The combined might of these films, appealing to families and action fans respectively, could push the Memorial Day box office past the 2013 record of $306 million, driven by Fast & Furious 6 and The Hangover Part III. Lilo & Stitch is riding a wave of nostalgia, with strong buzz among women under 25 and Hispanic audiences, while Mission: Impossible banks on Cruise’s star power and stunts, amplified by a Cannes premiere. As Lilo & Stitch rakes in an estimated $125 million internationally for a global debut of $275 million to $285 million, and Mission: Impossible aims to outgross Fallout’s $791 million worldwide, this holiday weekend is shaping up to be a box office bonanza. Both films are in theaters now, ready to deliver chaos, heart, and high-flying action.
Source: Variety