Due to the remarkable success of Lilo & Stitch's live-action adaptation, Disney is set to reach a significant box office achievement very soon. The year 2025 did not start favorably for Disney following the release of Snow White. This film, featuring Rachel Zegler, serves as a live-action reinterpretation of the beloved 1937 animated classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, yet it has become one of the lowest-grossing live-action Disney remakes in history. With a dismal worldwide box office total of just $205 million (as reported by Box Office Mojo), Snow White has likely incurred losses exceeding $100 million for Disney. Fortunately, the financial landscape has shifted positively for the company with the success of Lilo & Stitch.
Since its premiere on May 23, 2025, Lilo & Stitch has been a box office powerhouse, grossing approximately $781 million globally (according to Box Office Mojo). Despite some contentious modifications to the original animated story, the critical reception has been predominantly positive. As Disney prepares for the release of How to Train Your Dragon, which is expected to pose significant competition, it is clear that Disney is on the verge of another monumental box office milestone.
Disney’s Live-Action Remakes Are Closing In On A $12 Billion Box Office Total
Analyzing the Success of Disney’s Live-Action Remakes
Throughout its illustrious history, Disney has produced numerous iconic animated films that continue to resonate with audiences today. Consequently, over the past decade, Disney has launched a series of live-action remakes of its most cherished classics. While some fans argue that certain animated features do not warrant live-action reinterpretations, the financial success of these ventures suggests otherwise, as they have proven to be highly lucrative for Disney.
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Lilo & Stitch: A Catalyst for a New Era of Disney Live-Action Remakes
While Disney has produced numerous live-action adaptations in the past, there is something uniquely captivating and special about the latest success, Lilo & Stitch.
Disney’s live-action remakes have proven to be highly lucrative for the company, with blockbuster hits like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King each surpassing $1 billion in box office earnings. As a result of these monumental successes, Disney’s live-action adaptations are on the brink of accumulating a staggering total of $12 billion at the box office. Given the trajectory of Lilo & Stitch, which is poised to reach $1 billion, it will play a pivotal role in propelling Disney past this noteworthy milestone.
Lilo & Stitch is Set to Propel Disney Beyond the $12 Billion Milestone
Lilo & Stitch: Anticipated as One of the Highest-Grossing Films of 2025
Considering the current trends, it appears that Lilo & Stitch is on track to achieve the remarkable feat of grossing $1 billion at the box office. In fact, the film only needs to earn an additional $46 million for Disney to reach this lucrative milestone. With Lilo & Stitch winning the weekend box office for three consecutive weeks, a feat matched by only two other live-action Disney remakes, it is evident that the film is maintaining significant momentum. This suggests that Disney is likely to cross this significant box office threshold either this weekend or in the early days of next week.
Lilo & Stitch has cemented its status as one of the most successful live-action Disney remakes in history, and its theatrical journey is far from over.
It is important to acknowledge that the release of How to Train Your Dragon is expected to divert some audience attention away from Lilo & Stitch. Projections for How to Train Your Dragon’s opening weekend forecast a drop in box office dominance for Lilo & Stitch, indicating that it may not secure the top spot for a fourth consecutive weekend. Nevertheless, this should not detract from the remarkable triumphs that Lilo & Stitch has already achieved. Lilo & Stitch has already become one of the most successful live-action Disney adaptations to date, and its box office journey is still ongoing.
Disney’s Live-Action Remakes: The Second Most Profitable “Franchise” at the Box Office
Examining the Box Office Dominance of Several Disney Remakes
While Disney’s impending milestone is undoubtedly impressive, it is worth noting that the company’s live-action remakes have already established themselves as the second most lucrative “franchise” in box office history. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) currently holds the title of the highest-grossing franchise, amassing nearly $32 billion worldwide. Unlike the interconnected narratives found in the MCU, Disney’s live-action remakes, while not all linked, can still be regarded as a franchise due to their unified initiative by Disney.
|
Highest-Grossing Movie Franchise |
Total Worldwide Box Office Gross |
|---|---|
|
Marvel Cinematic Universe |
$31,960,455,684 |
|
Disney Live-Action Remakes |
$11,954,182,341 |
|
Spider-Man |
$11,154,092,078 |
|
Star Wars |
$10,400,778,595 |
|
Wizarding World |
$9,656,055,269 |
As illustrated in the table above, Spider-Man and Star Wars stand as the only two franchises capable of challenging Disney’s live-action remakes for the second spot. Despite some recent remakes underperforming at the box office, such as the previously mentioned Snow White, Disney has a slate of upcoming remakes that have the potential for considerable success. Therefore, following the success of Lilo & Stitch, this “franchise” is expected to continue generating significant box office revenue in the years to come.
Lilo & Stitch
7/10
- Release Date
-
May 21, 2025
- Runtime
-
108 Minutes
- Director
-
Dean Fleischer Camp
- Writers
-
Chris Kekaniokalani Bright, Mike Van Waes, Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois
- Producers
-
Tom C. Peitzman, Dan Lin, Ryan Halprin
-
-
Chris Sanders
Stitch (voice)
