Blockbuster Box Office Success: Memorial Day Weekend Earnings Soar for Mission: Impossible and Lilo & Stitch
During the recent Memorial Day weekend in 2025, box office records were shattered as "Lilo & Stitch" marked the largest Memorial Day opening ever, garnering an estimated $183 million over the extended four-day holiday. This remarkable feat surpassed the previous record holder, "Top Gun: Maverick," which grossed $160.5 million during Memorial Day 2022.
The historical box office earnings by Disney's reimagined classic topped out at $145.5 million over the standard three-day weekend. As Memorial Day weekend revenues surpass the projected $325 million, the overarching Memorial Day weekend record of $305.9 million, set in 2013, is expected to be broken [1].
In a separate but equally impressive performance, "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning" came in with $63 million over the three-day weekend. Despite being outshone by "Lilo & Stitch," the overall performance of the "Mission: Impossible" series may see a boost with a potential rise to $77 million by weekend's end [1]. Both films have garnered strong critical and audience reception, spurred by mounting anticipation ahead of their releases.
Nostalgia played a key role in both films' success, with "Lilo & Stitch" reprising a 23-year-old classic and "The Final Reckoning" potentially marking the series or Ethan Hunt's final appearance in the franchise. "Lilo & Stitch" joins the ranks of Disney's most successful live-action remakes, placing behind only "The Lion King" and "Beauty & the Beast" [1].
Other memorable titles from the holiday weekend included "Final Destination Bloodlines," "Sinners," and "Thunderbolts" [1]. The last time Memorial Day saw this level of audience excitement at the theaters was over a decade ago, seeing a marked improvement from the weaker showings of "Furiosa" and "Garfield" in 2024 [1].
As summer officially commences, additional anticipated blockbusters such as "Ballerina," "How to Train Your Dragon," "28 Years Later," "Superman," and "Fantastic Four" await audiences in June and July [1].
Share your thoughts on "Mission: Impossible" and "Lilo & Stitch" in the comments below. For more entertainment news on upcoming Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC, and Doctor Who releases, stay tuned to io9.
[1] Memorial Day weekend 2025 box office records broken by "Lilo & Stitch"
- "Lilo & Stitch" and "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning" both saw impressive earnings over the Memorial Day weekend in 2025, with "Lilo & Stitch" breaking the overarching Memorial Day weekend record and earning $183 million.
- The entertainment news platform Gizmodo, as well as other sources, reported on the historical performances of these movies, noting the strong critical and audience reception they received.
- As Memorial Day weekend revenues surpass the projected $325 million and "Lilo & Stitch" joins the ranks of Disney's most successful live-action remakes, fans are looking forward to upcoming movies such as "Ballerina," "How to Train Your Dragon," "28 Years Later," "Superman," and "Fantastic Four" in June and July, which are covered on sites like io9 for entertainment news on Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC, and Doctor Who releases.
