Blockbuster Hits "Mission: Impossible" and "Lilo & Stitch" Rake in Significant Memorial Day Revenue
Two blockbuster films, "Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning" and "Lilo & Stitch," are dominating theaters this holiday weekend, setting a new record for the highest-grossing Memorial Day weekend in history. According to Variety, the combined worldwide box office earnings of these two movies surpassed $341.7 million by the weekend's end.
"Lilo & Stitch" has far exceeded initial projections, accumulating $145.5 million in domestic sales and surpassing "Top Gun: Maverick," which earned $160 million through all four days in 2022, as Memorial Day's top opening weekend. Domestically, it ranks as the second-best holiday weekend start, behind "Black Panther" which grossed $242 million during Presidents Day 2018. "Lilo & Stitch" also represents one of the biggest debuts for Disney's live-action remakes, trailing only 2019's "The Lion King" and 2017's "Beauty & the Beast," which respectively grossed $191 million and $174 million. By the end of the four-day weekend, it is projected to earn $183 million.
On the other hand, "Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning" opened with $190 million worldwide. Because it had been released a week earlier in Australia, South Korea, and some other territories, its international audience accounted for a significant portion of this take, with $127 million. By the end of the weekend, its domestic earnings may reach up to $77 million, setting a new record for the "Mission: Impossible" series. Both films have received positive critical and audience reception, benefiting from the growing excitement leading up to their releases and the nostalgic appeal of both properties: "Lilo & Stitch" is based on Disney's 23-year-old classic, while "Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning" may be the last film in the series or the last to feature Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt.
Other movies enjoying strong viewership this weekend include holdovers like "Final Destination Bloodlines," "Sinners," and "Thunderbolts." Memorial Day theaters have seen more audience footfall than they have in over a decade, according to Variety, marking a considerable improvement compared to 2024's weaker showings of "Furiosa" and "Garfield." Looking forward, the summer season will offer several more notable releases such as "Ballerina," "How to Train Your Dragon," "28 Years Later," "Superman," and "Fantastic Four."
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- The future of box office records might be in the hands of latest blockbusters like "Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning" and "Lilo & Stitch," as they set new records for highest-grossing Memorial Day weekend.
- The technology-driven action film "Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning" and the animated classic "Lilo & Stitch" showcase the diverse range of entertainment available on Gizmodo's Movies-and-TV section.
- As we look ahead to the summer, blockbusters such as "Ballerina," "How to Train Your Dragon," "28 Years Later," "Superman," and "Fantastic Four" will not only compete with Memorial Day hits like "Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning" and "Lilo & Stitch" but also provide more entertainment options on Io9.
