In an unexpected twist, the live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch is surpassing the box office success of the original animated classic.
A Big Hit at the U.S. Box Office
The weekend box office results from May 30 to June 1, 2025, show a surprising trend in the world of film. Disney‘s live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch has dominated the charts, grossing an impressive $63 million in its second week. This brings its total earnings to more than $280 million in the U.S. alone. What’s even more impressive is that this remake has already surpassed the total global box office earnings of the original 2002 animated film, which earned $273 million.
Globally, the live-action version of Lilo & Stitch has reached $610 million and is on track to exceed the $1 billion mark soon, making it a massive success for Disney. The film has even outperformed Sinners, which has accumulated $267 million in the U.S. so far, to become the second highest-grossing film of the year in the U.S., only behind Minecraft, which stands at $422 million.
This remarkable performance has also helped Disney cross the $1 billion mark in the U.S. box office for the year, making it the first studio to achieve this milestone in 2025.
Mission Impossible and Other Films
Meanwhile, Tom Cruise’s final Mission Impossible installment, The Final Reckoning, continues its strong run, earning $27.3 million more, bringing its total U.S. earnings to $122 million. Internationally, it has grossed $351 million. Despite the stiff competition from Lilo & Stitch, Mission Impossible remains a dominant force at the global box office.
In third place, Karate Kid: Legends made $21 million, marking a strong debut as the most successful new release of the week. The film is set to be released in France on August 13, and it’s likely to continue performing well.
In addition, the horror film Substitution – Bring Her Back earned $7 million, emerging as another notable new release. This film, directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, is anticipated to be released in French cinemas on July 30.
A Surprising Success for Disney’s Live-Action Remake
What makes the success of Lilo & Stitch even more remarkable is how it’s managing to outshine not only its animated predecessor but also other summer blockbusters. The remake is not just drawing in family audiences but has also captured the attention of a wide range of moviegoers. Thanks to its nostalgic connection to the original film and its updated, live-action adaptation, Disney has once again shown its ability to breathe new life into classic stories.
This resurgence of interest in Lilo & Stitch is proof that even in a crowded marketplace, with heavy hitters like Mission Impossible and new releases like Karate Kid: Legends, a well-crafted remake can resonate deeply with audiences, proving that nostalgia paired with modern filmmaking techniques can produce unexpected success.
As the summer movie season continues, Disney is undoubtedly poised to dominate the box office, with its latest hit leading the charge. With the momentum of Lilo & Stitch, it will be exciting to see if other live-action adaptations will follow suit or if this one-off success will stand out as a unique phenomenon in cinema history.
