‘Lilo & Stitch’ and the Power of Zillennial Nostalgia at the Movie Theater

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For an adult without children, spending time in a relaxed wine bar before an afternoon matinee of the live-action film “Lilo & Stitch” can be quite a humbling moment. However, adding a touch of intoxication to that experience at the movie theater makes it even more humbling.

But, not unlike orange wine, nostalgia is a powerful drug.

Over the weekend, an unusual blue extraterrestrial resembling a dog and a precocious six-year-old child, both struggling with behavioral problems beyond the reach of gentle parenting, managed to outshine Tom Cruise, one of our most renowned actors, not just once but twice. The movie raked in an astounding $182.7 million at the domestic box office, surpassing the earnings of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, and then dethroning 2023’s Top Gun: Maverick as the holiday season’s highest-grossing opening film ever.

It’s not surprising that a family film managed to achieve such success over a lengthy, sweltering Memorial Day weekend. Given that The Minecraft Movie has stagnated at the two-month mark, this is to be expected. However, what’s more unexpected, even to some industry insiders like myself and my fellow writers here, is that Lilo & Sitch – a Disney animated film that seemed to be of lower quality compared to others – was the one to reach these heights.

However, for a particular age group – the younger Millennials and older members of Generation Z often referred to as Zillennials – the animated film “Lilo & Stitch” significantly impacted their childhood TV preferences.

2002 saw the debut of the film titled Lilo, which followed the second golden era of Disney animation, characterized by popular productions such as The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast. However, during this period, Disney’s animated films began to decline in popularity. Movies like Lilo, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and The Emperor’s New Groove, traditional animations, were overshadowed by the rising success of Pixar’s productions. Lilo was released amidst the surge of hits from Pixar, including Monsters Inc. and Finding Nemo.

Although it didn’t achieve the same level of commercial success, critical acclaim, or Broadway adaptations as its predecessors, Lilo managed to resonate deeply with an entire generation through an endless stream of merchandise. This included home videos (available on VHS and DVD), a TV show on ABC Kids and Disney Channel, as well as video games. The sheer volume of these touchpoints created a strong bond of loyalty that persists into adulthood.

In the latest release, a larger proportion of regular viewers – approximately 56% – purchased tickets compared to typical family films, as indicated by data gathered by Disney and PostTrak. This is more than what was observed for the upcoming film Moana 2, where the general audience accounted for 43%. The age groups most loyal to Lilo among Gen Z and Millennials were those aged 18-24, who made up an impressive 32% of the non-family attendees, followed closely by individuals aged 25-34 with a 33% share.

Back when I was just a fan, I learned that Lilo & Stitch initially started life as a movie destined for Disney+ streaming. However, with the demand for more theatrically released films growing stronger, Disney decided to switch gears and give this gem a theatrical run instead. After satiating our appetites with an abundance of content for their streaming platform, it seemed like the studio was once again prioritizing the magical experience of going to the movies over original features designed for their streaming services.

The early 2000s signaled the faint final breaths of a unified cultural spirit. A significant number of American youth maintained consistent viewing patterns during this period. They frequently gathered outside cinemas showing long-running films, and tuned in to television programs that garnered high ratings. The habit among Zillennials of visiting physical movie theaters was deeply ingrained at a young age; while this practice may have lost some strength with the advent of streaming, it has not yet completely disappeared.

One confidant, aged around 45 years, didn’t share the same sense of nostalgia for “Stitch” as others involved in the project, revealing to THR their astonishment upon witnessing a flood of younger Disney executives and assistants, mainly in their 20s and early 30s, expressing joy over the production of a live-action movie. They were raised within the realm of “Lilo & Stitch”.

This summer will see another cinematic test of the demo’s power at the box office with the release of “Freakier Friday,” starring Lindsay Lohan, a beloved figure among Zillennials. A sequel to the 2003 body-swap comedy that originally starred Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis (a remake of the 1976 film with Jodie Foster), “Freakier Friday” seems ideally suited for a streaming debut. However, instead of going digital, it’s set to hit theaters in August. This makes it one of Disney’s rare live-action theatrical films not derived from an animation released in recent years.

Towards the end of last year, following a long period of uncertainty, Disney confirmed they will move forward with a third installment of the 2001 film “The Princess Diaries”. Actress Anne Hathaway announced the project on her Instagram, which currently has more than 3 million likes.

Using nostalgia as a form of entertainment that appeals to the Zillennials is still an untapped area.

During a lengthy vacation break, many people flocked to cinemas eager to revisit a piece of their past with the screening of Stitch. Whether accompanied by their own kids, as DINKs (Double Income No Kids) or SINKs (Single Income No Kids), they were drawn by the allure of this movie. This is because, in case you didn’t know, ‘Ohana’ signifies family, and ‘family’ means no one is left behind or overlooked – a sentiment perfectly echoed at the movie theater.

Pamela McClintock contributed to this report.

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2025-05-28 02:24