Lilo & Stitch’s Box Office Success Sparks Exciting Sequel Plans from Disney!

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2025’s Memorial Day weekend promises a cinematic rivalry between Disney’s live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch” and Tom Cruise’s latest “Mission: Impossible” installment. Not only is it expected that “Lilo & Stitch” will outrank “The Final Reckoning” at the box office, but Experiment 626 may also break a record previously held by Tom Cruise. Originally scheduled for streaming on Disney+ in 2024, the decision was made to release “Lilo & Stitch” in theaters instead, securing the coveted Memorial Day weekend slot. Over the past 23 years, the “Lilo & Stitch” franchise and its beloved title character have grown into one of Disney’s most cherished intellectual properties, a move that is poised to yield significant returns at the box office.

According to The Wall Street Journal and Variety, the upcoming movie “Lilo & Stitch” is expected to earn around $150 million during its four-day run over Memorial Day weekend. This could potentially rise to as much as $160 million or more. If it manages to gross an additional $11 million, it will break the record for the highest Memorial Day opening weekend box office earnings, currently held by “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022). Given these impressive projections, Disney is already contemplating a sequel to “Lilo & Stitch”. As reported by Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, this is not surprising.

It seems highly likely that it will function exceptionally, as its nature invites further development.

Time to Meet the Other 625 Experiments

In a surprising turn of events, the animated film “Lilo & Stitch” aims to recoup its $100 million production cost within only four days. This substantial amount was almost overlooked by Disney when they initially intended for “Lilo & Stitch” to be a streaming exclusive on Disney+. This is advantageous news for Disney, as it signifies a significant comeback from the box office flop that was “Snow White.” If “Lilo & Stitch” performs exceptionally well in its first three days, it could potentially dethrone “A Minecraft Movie” as the biggest opening weekend of 2025. Moreover, if this happens, Disney would control three out of the top ten highest-grossing Memorial Day weekends, with “The Little Mermaid” currently holding the fifth spot at $118 million and “Aladdin” (2019) in seventh place at $116 million.

As a die-hard Disney enthusiast, I can’t help but feel that among all the live-action remakes Disney has produced, none seems more ripe for a sequel than the heartwarming tale of Lilo & Stitch. If you compare it to other animated classics, nothing quite matches the wealth of material that this gem offers. With the direct-to-video sequel, Stitch! The Movie, and its spin-off series, Lilo & Stitch: The Series, we’ve been given a rich expansion of the original story. These follow-ups delve deeper into the mythology, introducing us to Jumba’s other 625 experiments, such as Experiment 624/Angel and Experiment 625/Reuben. These characters have become fan favorites, with a huge merchandising potential. By incorporating elements from the extended universe of Lilo & Stitch into future sequels, I believe we’re looking at a formula that could sustain a long-running franchise.

At present, the response from critics on Rotten Tomatoes for the film “Lilo & Stitch” has been a mix of positive to favorable reviews. Despite earning substantial revenue at the box office, the question remains whether its word-of-mouth popularity will endure. For the next three weeks until “How to Train Your Dragon” hits theaters, it’s the must-watch family film. With this summer boasting several major franchises but no clear leader, there’s a strong possibility that “Lilo & Stitch” could be the standout movie of the season in 2025 and potentially launch a new live-action Disney franchise.

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2025-05-21 21:32