Lilo & Stitchhas had a stellar box office debut, but it remains to be seen if it has enough traction to become a billion-dollar release. The new movie is Disney’s latest live-action remake of one of their classic animated properties. Although it will quickly be usurped by 2026’s remake of 2016’sMoana, at the time of writing, it is the remake that tackles the most recent release, in this case the 2002 animated film of the same name. The movie follows young orphan Lilo (Maia Kealoha) befriending a chaotic blue alien genetic experiment who she names Stitch (Chris Sanders).
TheLilo & Stitchbox officehad a massive 3-day opening weekend domestic debut of $146 million. The movie, which also stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Magnussen, Courtney B. Vance, and Hannah Waddingham,broke the record for the biggest Memorial Day weekend debut in the history of the domestic box office, usurping the 2022 smash hitTop Gun: Maverick, which debuted with $126.7 million and eventually grossed $1.496 billion worldwide. While it is unknown if the 2025 movie will follow inTop Gun’s footsteps and make more than $1 billion, that is the first good sign of many.
Lilo & Stitch’s Current Box Office Total (So Far)
It Has Already Outgrossed The Original Movie
Not only did theLilo & Stitchreleasebegin by breaking a Memorial Day record in North America, its global opening weekend performed even better. At the time of writing, the last day for which there are box office actuals for the movie is the holiday Monday, which reveal thatit has grossed $361.2 million worldwide in just four daysthanks to a cumulative $182.6 million in domestic theaters and $178.6 million from international markets. This is more than the 2002 movie made in its entire run, as it only earned $273.1 million worldwide ($487 million when adjusted for inflation).
Currently,Lilo & Stitchis the fourth highest-grossing movie of 2025, behindCaptain America: Brave New World($415.1 million),A Minecraft Movie($940.7 million), andNe Zha 2($1.899 billion).
While it has not yet surpassed the original movie’s adjusted total, it is well on its way. There are likely multiple reasons for the movie’s success, especially during a time when the Disney live-action remake is on shakier ground after disappointing results for 2023’sThe Little Mermaidand 2025’sSnow White. The first is its reception, which sees it earninga 69% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics with a Verified Hot 93% from audiences. That Fresh Tomatometer score includes the 7 out of 10 rating fromScreenRant’s own Mary Kassel. Read an excerpt from theirLilo & Stitchreviewbelow:
I have no doubt that Lilo & Stitch will be a smash hit, hopefully kicking off a blockbuster summer that will continue reviving the box office. It’s clear from the film that Disney is finally beginning to understand that these live-action remakes need to be as warm and inviting as their animated counterparts. We don’t flock to the theaters to watch a story that’s already been told with better animation to see flashy effects of hollow green-screened sets. Audiences want to be moved and given a reason to revisit the emotions sparked by the story, and Lilo & Stitch delivers.
The fact that the original movie was released in 2002 could also be boosting its nostalgic pull on audiences. Manyaudience members who watched and lovedLilo & Stitchas children are now old enough to have children of their ownwho are of the right age to see the remake, which makes the movie a draw to many families as a whole rather than just the younger generation.
Lilo & Stitch Should Have Fairly Strong Legs At The Box Office
It Has Little Direct Competition
While box office forecasts for the sophomore weekend ofLilo & Stitchare not yet in, it seems highly likely that the movie will have strong audience retention as the summer movie season continues. Not only has its advertising campaign been successful in filling theaters during its opening weekend,its word of mouth is strongbetween its 93% Rotten Tomatoes audience score and a near-perfect CinemaScore of “A” (beating the “A-” earned by its new release competitionMission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, which took No. 2 at the domestic box office over Memorial Day weekend).
[Lilo & Stitchwill have] plenty of runway to continue climbing the charts…
Additionally,Lilo & Stitchis the only major wide release currently geared directly toward kidsother thanA Minecraft Movie, which just concluded its eighth weekend in theaters. WhileStitchmay have some competition from the impending May 30 release ofKarate Kid: Legends, which is seemingly aimed at pre-teens and above, it will not be facing a major kid-aimed challenger in the summer movie season until the release of thelive-actionHow to Train Your Dragonon June 13. This will give it plenty of runway to continue climbing the charts, drawing closer to a potential billion-dollar gross worldwide.
Lilo & Stitch Is Likely To Make Over $1 Billion At The Box Office
Precedent Shows That It Has A Strong Chance
In addition to the fact thatLilo & Stitchis already more than a third of the way toward earning $1 billion worldwide, precedent shows thatit could very easily pass the $1 billion milestone. It earned the third-best opening weekend for a live-action remake from Disney, landing between 2010’sAlice in Wonderlandand 2017’sBeauty and the Beast, both of which grossed more than $1 billion. Below, see how its opening weekend compares to previousDisney live-action remakesfrom the modern era that received a worldwide theatrical release and are direct remakes rather than reimaginings, sequels, or prequels:
$191.7 million
$1.657 billion
Beauty and the Beast(2017)
$174.7 million
$1.263 billion
$146 million
$116.1 million
$1.025 billion
$103.2 million
$966.5 million
$95.5 million
$569.6 million
$91.5 million
$1.051 billion
$67.8 million
$543.5 million
$45.9 million
$353.3 million
$42.2 million
$204.2 million
IfLilo & Stitchhas a trajectory that is average for the titles that debuted at the top of the chart,it could not only hit the $1 billion milestone but surpass it by a considerable margin. This is especially true if it continues to show strong audience hold over the course of the coming months. While it will have to face downHow to Train Your Dragon, the only other competition from major kids' movies through the end of July comes from Pixar’sElioand Paramount’sSmurfs, so it could easily thrive with its largely underserved demographic.
Predicting Lilo & Stitch’s Final Box Office Total
It Could Become One Of The Highest-Grossing Movies Of All Time
A debut at the exact level ofLilo & Stitchis unprecedented for a Disney live-action remake, as it falls nearly $30 million below the next-highest opening weekend and almost exactly the same amount above the next-lowest. Therefore, it is difficult to predict what its box office multiplier will end up being. However, the average worldwide multiplier for the installments that have grossed more than $1 billion is roughly 9, whichwould give the movie a worldwide run of roughly $1.314 billion.
However, it is entirely possible thatLilo & Stitchcould land well above that milestone. If it boasts the same trajectory as 2019’sAladdin, for instance,it could potentially rise as high as $1.679 billion, which would not see it beat the Chinese smashNe Zha 2as the highest-grossing movie of the year, but would make it the 10th highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide. This huge gross is possible, asAladdin’s Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes was at a similar level to the 2025 movie with a Verified Hot 94%.
