Lilo & Stitch Just Beat a Major Marvel Movie at the Box Office

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As a cinephile, I’m thrilled to share that Disney’s live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch is still ruling the box office. It recently broke through another barrier by outperforming one of Marvel’s most celebrated films! This family blockbuster has now surpassed the $408.5 million mark in domestic earnings, surging past the lifetime domestic gross of 2016’s Captain America: Civil War ($408.08 million). This triumph over a significant MCU team-up film is just another feather in the cap for this reimagining, which currently stands at a staggering $972.7 million worldwide and is quickly closing in on the $1 billion mark. Not only has it become the highest-grossing Hollywood release of the year, overtaking A Minecraft Movie’s earnings of 954.9 million, but it’s proven to be a powerful blend of critical acclaim and commercial success for the studio.

In a powerful start during Memorial Day weekend, the movie Lilo & Stitch made a massive impact with an impressive $182.6 million four-day domestic earnings, maintaining its position as number one at the box office for three straight weeks. This consistent success helped it gradually climb up the charts, surpassing many other major releases. On the international scene, this live-action remake has already outshone the foreign box office takings of notable Marvel Cinematic Universe films like Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

The ongoing triumph of Lilo & Stitch has emboldened Disney to swiftly advance the franchise’s future plans. Already, they have publicly declared that a follow-up to the live-action remake is in production, aiming to cash in on the vast audience and positive sentiment the movie has created. Prior to its release, Disney faced a challenging period at the 2025 box office with numerous high-profile projects failing to meet expectations. Two of Marvel Studios’ films, Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts, were deemed box office flops. Additionally, Disney also experienced a subpar opening weekend for its new original Pixar film, Elio, which marked the lowest in the animation studio’s esteemed history. The resounding success of Lilo & Stitch serves as an impressive victory for Disney, offering a clear and compelling blueprint for their adaptation strategies.

What Lilo & Stitch‘s Success Means for Disney’s Remake Strategy

At a crucial juncture, the triumph of Lilo & Stitch comes as a breath of fresh air for the studio, following a string of setbacks in their live-action adaptations. The prequel Mufasa: The Lion King had a lackluster debut with only $35 million against a budget of $200 million, and the costly remake of Snow White was a box office flop, earning merely $205 million worldwide on a production budget between $240 and $270 million. These recent failures raised doubts about the future of this endeavor. However, Lilo & Stitch has put those concerns to rest, demonstrating that commercial success can still be attained if the studio follows a particular approach. The recipe for its success seems to lie in its close adherence to the cherished animated predecessor, a realization that is causing a complete revamp of the upcoming Hercules remake.

According to reports, the live-action version of “Hercules,” directed by Guy Ritchie and produced by the Russo brothers (known for “Avengers: Endgame”), was initially planned with an action-focused approach, discarding the iconic musical numbers. However, the massive success of “Lilo & Stitch” has led to a change in strategy. Now, Disney is aiming for a faithful remake of the 1997 animated film, citing the financial success of its recent hit as the primary reason for this shift in direction.

Lilo & Stitch is currently available in theaters.

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2025-07-07 12:39