After Sinners overperformed, Thunderbolts* underperformed, and Final Destination Bloodlines proved there's plenty of life left in that classic horror franchise, this Memorial Day weekend will see Experiment 626 go head-to-head with Ethan Hunt.
After Sinners overperformed, Thunderbolts* underperformed, and Final Destination Bloodlines proved there's plenty of life left in that classic horror franchise, this Memorial Day weekend will see Experiment 626 go head-to-head with Ethan Hunt.
However, according to Variety, Lilo & Stitch looks set to make short work of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning.
Opening weekend estimates point to the latest live-action Disney movie vastly exceeding initial $120 million projections with a massive $150 million - $160 million domestic haul over four days. Tom Cruise's last Mission movie, meanwhile, is eying a respectable $75 million - $85 million debut.
Lilo & Stitch is expected to earn $125 million overseas, taking its global total to upwards of $275 million by Monday. As for The Final Reckoning, Cruise's movies always do big numbers overseas, and it should kick off its run with a mighty $200 million worldwide.
A big problem for the latter movie is that it reportedly cost $400 million to produce, meaning the only way it can turn a profit is by beating Fallout's $791 million to become the highest-grossing Mission movie to date. Dead Reckoning Part One was steamrolled by "Barbenheimer" (Barbie and Oppenheimer) in 2023, grossing only $570 million worldwide against a $300 million budget.
Lilo & Stitch looks set to be a hit with adults and children (a scarily realistic Hot Toys figure has even been revealed today, as you'll see below), and there's already chatter about a follow-up.
An excerpt from a recent Wall Street Journal article reveals, "Disney is so confident in 'Lilo & Stitch' that it is already thinking about sequels. 'It feels like it’s going to work very well, and it’s the kind of property that lends itself to more,' said Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman, who oversees the company’s film business."
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is currently "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes with 80%. Lilo & Stitch holds a 74% score.
Lilo & Stitch is the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family. Our lives are the sum of our choices. Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning.
Which of these movies will you be watching in theaters this Memorial Day weekend?