Box Office: Lilo & Stitch surpasses all Disney live-action films except The Lion King in first-day ticket sales; can it achieve similar theatrical success?

Disney’s upcoming live-action/CGI hybrid remake of Lilo & Stitch is generating major box office buzz ahead of its theatrical release on May 23. According to Fandango, the film has achieved the second-highest first-day ticket presales of any Disney live-action title at this point in the sales cycle, trailing only the 2019 blockbuster The Lion King, which grossed over USD 1.65 billion globally.

Originally planned as a Disney Plus endeavor, Lilo & Stitch follows in the footsteps of Moana 2 in making the jump to a full theatrical release. It now appears poised to become a major summer hit. Projections suggest the film could open to around USD 120 million over the four-day Memorial Day weekend, comfortably outpacing Mission: Impossible — Final Reckoning, which is expected to debut with an USD 80 million haul. If these estimates hold, the total domestic box office could reach a record USD 200 million for the holiday frame.

The film is directed by Marcel the Shell with Shoes On filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp, written by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright, and stars newcomer Maia Kealoha as Lilo. Chris Sanders, who created the original animated film and voiced Stitch, returns to lend his voice to the mischievous blue alien once more. The ensemble cast also includes Zach Galifianakis, Billy Magnussen, Courtney B. Vance, and original Lilo & Stitch star Tia Carrere in a new role.

The 2002 animated Lilo & Stitch was a heartwarming tale of found family and Hawaiian culture, made even more memorable by Stitch’s chaotic charm. With Sanders returning and early tracking suggesting the film won’t be a frame-to-frame remake, fans are optimistic the new version will honor the original’s legacy while bringing a fresh perspective.

The Lion King, which Lilo & Stitch currently trails in presales, raked in over USD 543 million domestically and USD 1.1 billion internationally. Whether Lilo & Stitch can replicate that kind of performance remains to be seen, but the early numbers are undeniably strong.

As Memorial Day approaches, all eyes will be on whether Stitch’s cinematic comeback will match the enormity of his presale performance, or perhaps even rewrite the mandates of Disney’s live-action success.

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