Is it really hard to pull audiences into theatres these days? Well, Disney’s latest live-action feature adaptation, Lilo & Stitch, begs to differ. The film has shattered numerous records and emerged as the number one movie at the global box office. This scenario is especially significant considering the kind of competition it beat to reach the top—none other than Tom Cruise’s highly anticipated Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
With the way Lilo & Stitch is performing right now, it could easily become one of the highest-grossing movies of 2025. It hit theatres worldwide on May 23 and has grossed over $361 million globally within its first five days, outgrossing Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which opened a week earlier in many markets (May 17), including India, and has so far managed to rake in $206 million globally.
We’ve all seen how Tom Cruise has been seriously busy with The Final Reckoning’s promotions lately. Despite a mammoth production budget of $300 million, death-defying stunts, amazing performances, compelling storytelling, and Cruise’s immeasurable charisma, the latest MI entry has struggled at the box office. And making things harder for The Final Reckoning is none other than Disney’s Lilo & Stitch.
The feat achieved by Lilo & Stitch becomes even more mind-boggling when you realize that Disney’s newest live-action remake has already outgrossed Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*, which earned $357 million globally, in just five days. How insane is that?
Lilo & Stitch is a major box office hit, especially when compared to other Disney remakes. Its domestic (US and Canada) opening was nearly on par with The Lion King, which had a massive $191.8 million debut and was previously the top opener among Disney’s live-action adaptations.
This means Lilo & Stitch outdid the domestic openings of other highly successful remakes like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Alice in Wonderland, all of which went on to earn over $1 billion globally. That’s a surprising and significant achievement for the film.
Although in India, the latest Disney remake underperformed slightly, earning only ₹2.45 crores in its first three days, while Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning has already minted over ₹77.35 crores.
So, how the hell did Lilo & Stitch perform so well? Well, there are lots of reasons for this outcome. The stellar performance can be attributed to several key factors. The franchise’s massive merchandising sales, exceeding $2.5 billion last year, clearly signalled strong audience interest.
Moreover, the film tapped into deep nostalgia among millennial and Gen Z audiences who grew up with the original animated movie. And finally, Stitch’s widespread international appeal significantly boosted the film’s global earnings. These elements combined to make Lilo & Stitch a true box office powerhouse.
Crucially, the film’s success was amplified by its modest budget. Unlike pricier Disney remakes like The Little Mermaid and Snow White, which each cost over $240 million, Lilo & Stitch was made for a much more reasonable $100 million. This, combined with its playful and irreverent marketing tactics—like the popular Stitch popcorn buckets—helped the film stand out from other, more serious live-action adaptations, positioning it as a genuinely fun movie experience.
On the other hand, the two primary reasons for Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning not performing as well as Lilo & Stitch are its long runtime (170 minutes), which drastically reduced the number of daily screenings, and its “weaker” story compared to previous MI installments—contributing to its relatively low Rotten Tomatoes score of just 80%.
Meanwhile, Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* seems to have clearly suffered from MCU fatigue and the mixed reception of many of the franchise’s recent projects, including Captain America: Brave New World, leading to a perception of declining quality and inconsistency. Audiences are becoming more selective about which MCU films they’ll watch in theatres. Stay tuned for more updates.
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