‘Lilo & Stitch’ Smashes Memorial Day Box Office Records, ‘Mission: Impossible’ Hits Franchise High

The 2025 Memorial Day weekend box office is making history, driven by the explosive debuts of “Lilo & Stitch” and “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.”

Record-Breaking Debuts Dominate Holiday Weekend

Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” is set for a stunning $170M–$180M domestic opening, overtaking “Top Gun: Maverick” as the highest Memorial Day debut ever. Meanwhile, Tom Cruise’s final “Mission: Impossible” installment is projected to earn a franchise-best $77M.

‘Lilo & Stitch’ Surpasses Expectations

Originally tracking for a $120M debut, “Lilo & Stitch” surged in momentum, especially among Gen Z and younger millennial women nostalgic for the 2002 original. The film grossed $55M on Friday from 4,410 theaters, including a record $14.5M from Thursday previews — the biggest Memorial Day preview haul in Disney live-action history.

Nostalgia and Broader Appeal Fuel Success

The film’s appeal stretches beyond families, with teens and young adults showing strong turnout. This mirrors the success of 2019’s “Aladdin,” also produced by Rideback, which grossed $1.1B globally. Despite its modest $100M budget and original plans for a Disney+ release, “Lilo & Stitch” received an A CinemaScore and holds a 70% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Mission: Impossible Sets Franchise Records

Paramount and Skydance’s “Final Reckoning” took in $24.8M on Friday from 3,857 theaters, including $8.3M in Thursday previews — a new high for the series. It’s expected to surpass the $61.2M opening of “Fallout” and easily beat the $54.7M launch of Dead Reckoning.

Older Audiences Turn Out for Cruise’s Finale

Older viewers, particularly those over 55, made up the majority of ticket buyers, followed by the 18–25 demographic. The film scored an A- CinemaScore and has an 80% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Despite its steep $400M production cost, Paramount sees long-term value through increased home entertainment revenue and library boosts.

Biggest Memorial Day Box Office Ever

Together, both films are projected to push total holiday weekend sales past $320M — topping the $306M record set in 2013. It also marks the strongest showing for two major films opening head-to-head over Memorial Day.

Global Performance: Lilo Leads Early

Overseas, “Lilo & Stitch” earned $29.6M on Friday, bringing its international total to $56.3M from 50 markets. It set year-best opening days in China, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, France, and Italy.

Final Reckoning Ramps Up Abroad

The “Mission: Impossible” finale brought in $16.6M internationally on Friday, for a total of $75.9M from 64 markets. It will open in China on May 30.

The Next Box Office Rivalry?

While not quite a Barbenheimer-style cultural event, the powerful one-two punch of “Lilo & Stitch” and Final Reckoning has sparked buzz — maybe even earning its own nickname: “Stitchin: Impossible.”