Blockbuster Hauls Over Memorial Day Weekend: Mission: Impossible and Lilo & Stitch Lead Earnings
This Memorial Day weekend, two major Hollywood films are dominating the box office - "Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning" and the live-action remake of "Lilo & Stitch." According to Variety, the combined box office earnings of these two movies have set a new record for the largest Memorial Day holiday in history.
"Lilo & Stitch" has surpassed initial projections and its current domestic take of $145.5 million has dethroned "Top Gun: Maverick" as Memorial Day's best opening weekend. Domestically, it ranks second behind "Black Panther" in terms of holiday weekend starts. By the end of the four-day Memorial Day weekend, "Lilo & Stitch" is projected to earn $183 million, making it one of Disney's biggest debuts for live-action remakes, following closely behind "The Lion King" and "Beauty & the Beast."
Meanwhile, "Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning" opened with a worldwide total of $190 million. The film was released a week prior in Australia, South Korea, and other territories, contributing $127 million to its initial earnings. By the end of the weekend, domestic earnings could rise to $77 million, setting a new record for the "Mission: Impossible" series.
Both films have received positive critical and audience reception, largely due to growing excitement leading up to their releases. The success of "Lilo & Stitch" can be partially attributed to its ties to Disney's 23-year-old classic, while "Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning" might mark the end of the series, or the end for Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt.
Audiences are flocking to theaters this weekend, not only for the new releases but also for holdovers like "Final Destination Bloodlines," "Sinners," and "Thunderbolts." Variety notes that it has been over a decade since people went to theaters this much during Memorial Day weekend, and the showing this year marks a significant improvement compared to 2024's "Furiosa" and "Garfield."
The summer season continues with a lineup of highly anticipated films such as "Ballerina," "How to Train Your Dragon," and "28 Years Later" in June, followed by "Superman" and "Fantastic Four" in July.
For comments on "Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning" and "Lilo & Stitch," readers are invited to share their thoughts below.
Additional news: Stay updated on the latest releases for Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, the DC Universe on film and TV, and the future of Doctor Who.
- The box office dominance of "Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning" and the live-action remake of "Lilo & Stitch" has been covered by Gizmodo, a notable technology and entertainment news source.
- The success of "Lilo & Stitch" at the box office, with projections of earning $183 million by Memorial Day, has also been discussed on io9, another site focusing on entertainment news and reviews.
- For Gizmodo's Movies and TV section, the ongoing summer season features highly anticipated films like "Ballerina," "How to Train Your Dragon," and "28 Years Later," all of which are expected to generate significant interest in technology and entertainment circles.
