Major Memorial Day Weekend Box Office Success for Mission: Impossible and Lilo & Stitch
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Holy smokes, Memorial Day weekend at the box office is a freakin' blast, with two blockbusters dominating the scene: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and Lilo & Stitch.
It's no shock that these two movies have created the "largest Memorial Day holiday in history," raking in a whopping $341.7 million worldwide (source: Variety). Lilo is crushing it, exceeding initial projections and obliterating Top Gun: Maverick's 2022 $160 million Memorial Day earnings. Domestically, its current figure of $145.5 million has even surpassed Black Panther's $242 million Presidents Day 2018 grand opening. By the end of the four-day weekend, experts predict Lilo will earn an additional $38 million, making it one of Disney's biggest live-action remake debuts, just behind The Lion King (2019) and Beauty & the Beast (2017).
Meanwhile, Final Reckoning debuted with $190 million worldwide, with an impressive $127 million of that coming from international audiences. By the weekend's end, its domestic take of $63 million may shoot up to $77 million, setting a new record for the Mission: Impossible series (source: Variety). Both films have garnered strong critical and audience acclaim, thanks in part to growing hype before their releases. The nostalgia factor is off the charts: Lilo is based on a 23-year-old Disney classic, while Final Reckoning might be the last ride for Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt or just the last film in the series (source: Variety).
The theaters are packed, with holdovers like Final Destination Bloodlines, Sinners, and Thunderbolts also enjoying healthy viewership. Variety reports it's been over a decade since people flocked to the movies as much as they are now, and it's a clear improvement from 2024's underwhelming Furiosa and Garfield. The summer season is heating up, with Ballerina, How to Train Your Dragon, and 28 Years Later hitting theaters in June, followed by Superman and Fantastic Four in July.
So, what did you think of Mission: Impossible and Lilo & Stitch? Sound off in the comments below!
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- By the looks of it, the future of movie-watching is brighter than ever, with Io9 reporting the Memorial Day box office break records set by 'Lilo & Stitch' and 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning'.
- Gizmodo is abuzz with excitement about the jaw-dropping success of 'Lilo & Stitch', surpassing even 'Top Gun: Maverick's 2022 Memorial Day earnings and nearing a spot as one of Disney's biggest live-action remake debuts.
- In a thrilling turn of events, the entertainment landscape is gearing up for more blockbusters like 'Ballerina', 'How to Train Your Dragon', and '28 Years Later', all slated for release this summer – making it a promising season for movies and TV enthusiasts alike.
