Box Office: Lilo and Stitch, Mission Impossible 8 eye USD 600M combined global debut this weekend

by

Despite Memorial Day being primarily an American celebration, its influence on the global box office has grown significantly. This year, two big-budget movies – Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and Paramount’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – are expected to have a fierce competition, potentially earning a collective $600 million worldwide debut. As these films cater to different audiences while being released concurrently, cinemas globally are gearing up for an unprecedented weekend box office battle.

Exhibitors Anticipating an Unparalleled Memorial Day Weekend Business

Following a less than stellar Memorial Day weekend performance for Furiosa last year, with Sony’s Garfield seemingly stealing the spotlight, it seems that Hollywood has adjusted its approach. This year, Memorial Day weekend is shaping up to be a fierce battleground for blockbuster releases. Interestingly, studios have strategically placed two major films this time around, each appealing to distinct audiences. Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, for instance, seems to be aimed at families and younger viewers, with a particular focus on women aged 18-34. On the flip side, Tom Cruise’s action-packed Mission: Impossible 8 appears to be geared towards older male audiences.

The situation here is similar to other successful box office events such as Barbenheimer – the surprising duo of box office hits, Barbie and Oppenheimer – and Glicked, when Wicked and Gladiator II held the top spots before Thanksgiving 2024. This represents a harmonious blend of diverse entertainment releases all at once.

Box Office Projections: Breaking Down the Numbers

From this Friday, May 23rd, I’m eagerly anticipating that the domestic box office for the four-day Memorial Day weekend could potentially match or even surpass the astounding USD 314 million earned during the remarkable 2013 weekend, a feat made possible by blockbusters like Fast & Furious 6 and The Hangover Part III.

Worldwide experts predict that the two upcoming films – Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and Paramount’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – will collectively earn approximately $600 million upon their debut. Specifically, it is estimated that Disney’s Lilo & Stitch will generate around $400 million worldwide, whereas Paramount’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is expected to start with roughly $200 million.

Strong Buzz Fuels Lilo & Stitch’s Debut Hopes

Prior to its launch, there’s been a lot of excitement surrounding the release of Lilo & Stitch. In fact, domestic pre-sales have already surpassed $20 million, which is a good amount, but it falls short of the presale figures achieved by recent Disney hits like Moana 2 and the 2019 live-action The Lion King. Both of these movies had around $40 million in pre-sales before their opening weekends. It’s worth noting that Lilo & Stitch is currently outperforming the presale numbers for films such as The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Little Mermaid, and Minecraft, suggesting a strong level of audience interest.

Disney finds the movie’s appeal to women within the specified age group particularly encouraging, but it’s also seeing strong interest from men aged 18-34. Starting this Thursday afternoon, the film will be screened in approximately 4,300 theaters across the US and Canada, except for IMAX. IMAX is reserved for Mission: Impossible films.

Worldwide, the release of Lilo & Stitch started on Wednesday in significant countries such as France, Italy, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. Countries like Australia, Brazil, and Mexico are set to follow suit. However, viewers in China, India, and Spain will have to wait until Friday to watch it in cinemas. In this time frame, approximately 50 major markets will screen the film initially, with Japan and Hong Kong planned for later showings.

Lilo & Stitch started showing in France, Italy, South Korea, and the UK on Wednesday. Countries like Australia, Brazil, and Mexico will show it next. China, India, and Spain have to wait until Friday. A total of around 50 countries will screen it within this period, with Japan and Hong Kong coming later.

The merchandise linked with the Lilo & Stitch series continues to be a significant global earnings source. Although the initial release may lean slightly towards domestic markets, the foreign debut is projected to generate over $125 million.

Considering the financial performance of Disney’s recent live-action adaptations, The Little Mermaid earned approximately $65 million upon its release, Cinderella garnered $71 million, and Mufasa: The Lion King started with $92 million during an extended holiday period. Aladdin (2019), released in May, opened to a staggering $180 million and showed great staying power, offering optimism for Lilo & Stitch’s performance.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’s Prospects

Following a worldwide promotional journey through London, Cannes, Seoul, Tokyo, Mexico City, and New York City, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is gearing up for a robust domestic launch, predicted to earn between $75 million and $85 million at around 3,846 cinemas. The film boasts a substantial number of premium large format (PLF) screens, approximately 900, which will contribute to higher ticket costs.

The movie we’re discussing has garnered more attention and engagement compared to Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning for 2023. Dead Reckoning grossed $54 million in three days and $78.4 million in five days domestically. However, our film boasts a significantly larger production budget, estimated between $300 and $400 million, due to the complex, high-risk action scenes filmed under tough pandemic and labor strike conditions.

The global release commenced on Wednesday, and preview screenings are already taking place in certain regions. By the end of the week, the movie is set to debut in 64 countries around the world. Predictions suggest that the overseas premiere could earn over $125 million, which might be a record for the highest overseas opening in the franchise when considering inflation. Key markets such as France, Germany, South Korea, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Taiwan will contribute to this strong international reach.

About the Films:

Mission: Impossible – The Last Stand

In this film titled “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” the talented director Christopher McQuarrie takes the helm for what is believed to be the concluding chapter of the 28-year-long Mission: Impossible series. Joining Tom Cruise in his final mission as Ethan Hunt, an agent for the International Mission Force (IMF), are Ving Rhames, Hayley Atwell, Angela Bassett, and others. This film marks the end of an era for the iconic franchise.

The movie titled “Lilo & Stitch,” helmed by director Dean Fleischer Camp and scripted by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes, is a blend of live-action and computer-generated imagery (CGI), offering a contemporary take on Disney’s cherished 2002 animated film. Maia Kealoha takes on the role of Lilo, with Chris Sanders reprising his voice for Stitch in this remake.

Read More

2025-05-22 14:15