Massive Memorial Day Box Office Success for Mission: Impossible and Lilo & Stitch
Blockbuster Bonanza: Memorial Day's Mega Movie Moment
Get ready for a rollercoaster ride at the cinemas this holiday weekend, as we've got two heavyweights - Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning and Lilo & Stitch, pumping adrenaline into theaters!
According to Variety, this Memorial Day weekend has seared its mark in history as the largest Memorial Day holiday yet, raking in an impressive $341.7 million worldwide. Lilo & Stitch has skyrocketed far beyond estimations, with a staggering domestic take of $145.5 million, surpassing Top Gun: Maverick's ($160 million) 2022 four-day earnings, and only lagging behind Black Panther's $242 million during Presidents Day 2018. By the end of the four-day stint, Lilo is predicted to have earned $183 million, cementing its place among Disney's live-action remakes elite, trailing closely behind 2019's The Lion King and 2017's Beauty & the Beast.
On the other hand, Final Reckoning opened with a $190 million worldwide take, with its international audience making up $127 million of that bounty. By the weekend's end, its $63 million domestic haul could swell to $77 million, eclipsing the Mission: Impossible series record. Both films have enjoyed critical and audience acclaim, fueled by mounting hype leading up to their releases. Nostalgia propels both movies - Lilo springs from a 23-year-old Disney classic, while Reckoning may herald the curtain call for Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt, or merely the end of his leading role.
Theaters are bustling this weekend, not just with these action-packed blockbusters, but also with holdovers like Final Destination Bloodlines, Sinners, and Thunderbolts. Memorial Day moviegoing has surged, last seen at such levels over a decade ago, a welcomed improvement from the meager turnout in 2024's Furiosa and Garfield. As summer seasons unfolds, we can look forward to movies like Ballerina, How to Train Your Dragon, and 28 Years Later in June, followed by Superman and Fantastic Four in July.
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Trivia
- Lilo & Stitch's Memorial Day weekend haul of $183 million makes it the highest-grossing Memorial Day weekend opening in the United States.[2][4]
- While specific opening weekend figures are unavailable, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning contributed significantly to the overall box office success during Memorial Day 2025.[4]"The Memorial Day weekend of 2025 marked a significant milestone in box office history, with Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning leading the charge. These films not only set new records but also underscored the importance of Memorial Day weekend as a prime release period for major films."[3]
- The future of entertainment holds exciting prospects with upcoming movies like 'Ballerina', 'How to Train Your Dragon', and '28 Years Later' in June.
- Gizmodo and io9 readers might be interested in the future of Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who releases.
- Technology played a crucial role in the success of Memorial Day 2025, contributing to the impressive box office performances of 'Lilo & Stitch' and 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning', making it one of the highest-grossing Memorial Day weekends in the United States.
