Blockbuster Movies Rake in Major Revenue Over Memorial Day Weekend: Mission: Impossible and Lilo & Stitch Lead the Pack
Holidays just got a whole lot more exciting, folks! This Memorial Day weekend, we've got a double whammy of blockbusters hitting the big screen - none other than the action-packed Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning and the heartwarming Lilo & Stitch remake. And boy, are they making waves in the theaters!
According to Variety, this Memorial Day weekend has broke records, setting the bar as the "largest Memorial Day holiday in history" with an impressive global revenue of $341.7 million. Lilo & Stitch has smashed expectations and outperformed even Top Gun: Maverick (2022) with a staggering domestic revenue of $145.5 million, sending Top Gun: Maverick's 2022 Memorial Day weekend earnings of $160 million packing. Lilo & Stitch ranks second only to Black Panther's President's Day 2018 debut of $242 million in terms of holiday weekend openings.[1]
Lilo & Stitch is no stranger to success, already claiming a spot among Disney's top live-action remake launches, nudging ahead of 2019's The Lion King ($191 million) and 2017's Beauty & the Beast ($174 million).[2]
Meanwhile, the sixth installment of the Mission: Impossible series, The Final Reckoning, opened to an impressive $190 million globally. With a week-long head start in countries like Australia and South Korea, its international audience contributed a whopping $127 million to its global haul.[1] By the end of the four-day weekend, its domestic earnings may reach an impressive $77 million, setting a new record for the Mission: Impossible series.[1]
Both films have received critical acclaim and audience support, boosted by the growing hype leading up to their releases. Fueled by nostalgia, these films offer a blast from the past – Lilo & Stitch based on the beloved 23-year-old classic and The Final Reckoning, possibly marking the end of an era or the final outing for Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt.[3]
It's been a decade since audiences flocked to the theaters as much as they are this Memorial Day, marking a significant improvement from the weaker showing of 2024's Furiosa and Garfield.[3] Keep the summer season rolling with exciting releases like Ballerina, How to Train Your Dragon, and 28 Years Later in June, followed by Superman and Fantastic Four in July.[3]
Drop a comment below sharing your thoughts on Mission: Impossible and Lilo & Stitch! Want more io9 news? Stay tuned for updates on the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, the future of the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.[2]
[1] Box Office Mojo (2025). Memorial Day 2025 Box Office Results. [online] Available at: https://www.boxofficemojo.com/calendar/md/2025/?ref_=hc_md_2025[2] Indiewire (2025). Record-Breaking Memorial Day Weekend Sets Box Office Milestones. [online] Available at: https://www.indiewire.com/2025/05/record-breaking-memorial-day-weekend-box-office-1234647861/[3] Variety (2025). Memorial Day Bounces Back as Theaters See Biggest Weekend in Years. [online] Available at: https://variety.com/2025/film/news/memorial-day-box-office-theater-audience-20250531/
- The success of the movies 'Lilo & Stitch' and 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' has been a topic of discussion on various entertainment websites such as Gizmodo, Movies-and-TV, and Io9, where they reflect on the films' impact on the future of movie-making and technology.
- The remake of 'Lilo & Stitch' has not only outperformed expectations but also surpassed the domestic earnings of 'Top Gun: Maverick' (2022), showing the potential of combining classic stories with modern technology and innovation.
- As we move forward into the summer season, with releases like 'Ballerina', 'How to Train Your Dragon', and '28 Years Later' in June, and 'Superman' and 'Fantastic Four' in July, fans can look forward to an exciting blend of movies and technology that will shape the future of entertainment.
