‘Lilo & Stitch’ Just Gave Disney the Comeback It Desperately Needed
In Hollywood, timing can mean everything—especially when it comes to box office performance. Studios spend months calculating release dates, analyzing trends, and watching audience habits like hawks. But some windows, no matter how sunny the forecast, have just never panned out. Memorial Day weekend is one of them.
Despite being considered the unofficial start to summer, the holiday has a surprisingly poor track record for theatrical releases. Families often prioritize barbecues, road trips, or beach days over the movies, making it a risky time for any major studio to debut a new title. For years, even Disney has struggled to turn Memorial Day weekend into a consistent win.
That’s what makes this moment so unexpected.
After years of debate, speculation, and fan anxiety, Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch finally arrived—and against all odds, it didn’t just perform. It shattered expectations and made box office history.
Related: Disney Aims to Capitalize on ‘Lilo & Stitch’s’ Success With a Sequel
This film had a lot working against it. Disney announced the Lilo & Stitch remake back in 2018, setting off a firestorm of reactions. Fans were immediately split. Some were excited to see Stitch back on screen, while others feared the live-action treatment would ruin the magic of the original 2002 animated classic.
Worries peaked when it was revealed that major characters and moments—like Captain Gantu and Pleakley’s iconic disguise scenes—were being cut.
But as trailers rolled out, the buzz started to shift. The marketing managed to highlight what fans loved most—Stitch’s charm, Lilo’s sincerity, and the story’s deep emotional heart. And when it finally premiered, audiences turned out in massive numbers.
Related: Family Gets Forgotten as Live-Action ‘Lilo & Stitch’ Cuts Major Character
Lilo & Stitch is now expected to rake in $183 million domestically and $353 million worldwide over the four-day Memorial Day weekend. If those numbers hold, it will officially dethrone Top Gun: Maverick (2022) and become the most successful Memorial Day weekend release in box office history.
And it’s not just families fueling the success. According to TheWrap:
“But the nostalgia for the original animated film is making it a four-quadrant hit, with non-family general audiences comprising 56% of the opening weekend audience while millennials age 25-34 — the demographic that saw the original as kids — are the biggest age cohort at 30%.”
That crossover appeal has turned Lilo & Stitch into more than just a kids’ movie. It’s a cultural moment—something Disney desperately needed. After several recent missteps, including the underwhelming performance of Snow White and the modest success of Thunderbolts, the studio was in a bit of a rut. Snow White, in particular, has grossed just over $200 million total and may lose the company more than $100 million.
By contrast, Lilo & Stitch is poised to become Disney’s highest-grossing film of 2025 so far—and possibly one of the biggest hits of the year overall.
What began as a cautious remake has now reignited faith in Disney’s live-action strategy and proven that with the right balance of nostalgia and heart, fans are willing to show up in droves.
Have you seen the new Lilo & Stitch yet? Were you skeptical about the remake, or did it win you over? Do you think Disney is finally back on track—or is this just a one-time win? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
