The summer blockbuster season of 2025 launched with a bang, as Memorial Day weekend delivered a record-shattering $334.5 million in domestic box office revenue. Leading the charge was Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch, which outperformed expectations and even outpaced Tom Cruise’s latest Mission: Impossible installment.
- Lilo & Stitch – $183 Million (4-Day Weekend)
Disney’s live-action take on the 2002 animated classic tells the story of a lonely Hawaiian girl, Lilo, who adopts what she believes is a dog—only to discover it’s a chaotic alien fugitive named Stitch. Their bond is both hilarious and heartfelt, and audiences clearly embraced the nostalgic retelling. It scored a staggering $183 million over the four-day weekend, marking the highest Memorial Day debut in history.
- Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – $79 Million
In what is being billed as Ethan Hunt’s final mission, Tom Cruise returns for a globe-trotting showdown against a rogue AI bent on rewriting the rules of espionage. The film is packed with signature stunts and tense action sequences, earning a strong $79 million domestic start. Still, it couldn’t quite overtake a blue alien and his ‘ohana.
- Final Destination: Bloodlines – $51.6 Million
The sixth entry in the Final Destination franchise revives the deadly premise: cheat death, and it comes for you creatively and gruesomely. This time, the story follows a group of college students who survive a mass transit accident—only to be picked off one by one by unseen forces. It drew horror fans in droves, earning $51.6 million.
- Thunderbolts – $74.3 Million
Marvel’s antihero team-up film brings together characters like Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, and Red Guardian to take on a morally murky mission for the U.S. government. Mixing humor, action, and darker tones, it landed a solid $74.3 million debut, showing Marvel still has drawing power even beyond its marquee heroes.
- Sinners – $48 Million
Ryan Coogler’s original thriller centers on a small-town preacher whose dark past comes back to haunt him after a string of violent miracles grip his community. With a strong lead performance and social commentary baked into the suspense, Sinners opened to $48 million—a strong showing for an original film in a franchise-heavy market.
Ohana Means Box Office Gold
In a surprising twist, Disney’s Lilo & Stitch outperformed Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, proving that a tale of family and friendship can outshine high-octane espionage. As audiences flocked to theaters for the heartwarming story of a girl and her alien companion, it became clear that sometimes, it’s not explosions or car chases that win the weekend—it’s love, laughter, and one incredibly weird little alien.