Key Takeaways
Total 3-Day Weekend Gross:
$261,682,613 | +59.7% Last Week / +61.2% Weekend 21, 2024
Estimated 4-Day Holiday Weekend Gross: $325M+
The domestic box office set a new Memorial Day weekend record, with the top ten films in the marketplace estimated to earn over $325M over the holiday frame. The prior record came in 2013, when an eclectic mix of titles combined to contribute $314M.
Disney’s Lilo & Stitch led the overall 4-Day weekend to a record $325.66M with the aid of Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt taking on one “final” mission. Combined with big holdovers like Final Destination Bloodline and this is a massive year-over-year improvement from the $132.27M earned over the 4-Day Memorial Day frame in 2024. It’s also a chance for Disney to potentially leap ahead of Warner Bros. in this year’s overall market share race.
- Top Title: Lilo & Stitch (Walt Disney Pictures) | $145.5M / 4,410 Screens / $32,993 PSA | Week 1
- Top Opener: Lilo & Stitch (Walt Disney Pictures) | $145.5M / 4,410 Screens / $32,993 PSA | Week 1
- Best PSA: Lilo & Stitch (Walt Disney Pictures) | $145.5M / 4,410 Screens / $32,993 PSA | Week 1
“Millions of moviegoers this holiday weekend proved once again that going to the cinema is a true American pastime. Records aside, it’s clear that movie theaters are cultural and economic hubs in cities and towns of all sizes, uniting communities across the country in the singular thrill of seeing a movie on the big screen. This weekend is just the start of what will be a great summer for movie fans around the world.”
– Michael O’Leary, President & CEO, Cinema United
Highlights From the Weekend
1. Lilo & Stitch
Walt Disney Pictures | NEW
$145.5M Domestic Opening 3-Day Weekend | $183M 4-Day Debut
$341.7M Global Total
Disney’s live-action remake of 2002’s Lilo & Stitch managed to break some Memorial Day weekend records by taking in an estimated $145.5M over the 3-Day and a projected $183M over the 4-Day. It earned a weekend-best $32,993 Per Screen Average in 4,410 locations to land at #1. That $183M beats Top Gun Maverick’s $160.5M to become the largest 4-day Memorial Day weekend opening of all time. It also marks the third biggest 3-Day opener for Disney after The Lion King ($191.77M) and Beauty and the Beast ($174.75M). The 4-Day also topped the lifetime domestic total of the original Lilo & Stitch ($145.8M).
Here’s how the 3-Day looked, including $14.5M in Thursday previews…
- Friday – $55M
- Saturday – $47.5M
- Sunday – $43M
Even though RT critical was 69%, the audience score was 94% while CinemaScore was an “A” and PostTrak was 5 out of 5. Audiences were predominantly female at 64%, with Hispanic audiences significantly over-indexing for the opening weekend.
- Hispanic (39%)
- Caucasian (34%)
- AA (12%)
- NatAm/Other (8%)
- Asian (7%)
Millennials and Gen Z’s represented the largest audience base for the weekend, indicating appeal well beyond kiddies and parents…
12 & Under – 15%
13-17 – 10%
18-24 – 16%
25-34 – 30%
35-44 – 18%
45-54 – 8%
55+ – 4%
Overseas, it managed to make $158.7M in 52 material territories (all except Japan and Hong Kong) for a $304.2M 3-Day global take and a $341.7M 4-Day Memorial Day projection.
Lilo & Stitch – Opening Weekend
Top Ten Overseas Markets
1. Mexico | $23.7M
2. UK | $12.9M
3. Brazil | $11.1M
4. France | $10.7M
5. Italy | $9.2M
6. China | $8.3M
7. Germany | $8.0M
8. Spain | $6.8M
9. Australia | $6.0M
10. Central America | $5.7M
2. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Paramount Pictures | NEW
$63M Domestic Opening 3-Day Weekend | $77M 4-Day Opening
$190M Global Total
Paramount’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning scored a franchise-record $63M for the 3-Day weekend (beating series best Fallout‘s $61.2M opening in 2018), while the 4-Day projections are currently at $77M. This #2 opening on 3,857 screens produced a $16,334 PSA. While this opening is right in our prediction range, it doesn’t even come close to Tom Cruise’s 3-Day Memorial Day record for Top Gun: Maverick at $126.7M.
Here’s how the 3-Day looked including $8.3M in Thursday previews…
- Friday – $24.8M
- Saturday – $20.2M
- Sunday – $18M
CinemaScore was an “A-“, PostTrak was 5 out of 5, while Rotten Tomatoes critical was 80% fresh along with a 90% audience score, all indicative of decent play throughout the month. Audiences were split 62% male/38% female while 54% of the audience was in the age 35+ camp, followed by 41% in 18-34.
Here’s how demographics looked…
- 58% Caucasian
- 15% Hispanic
- 11% Asian
- 10% Black
- 6% NatAm/other
Overseas, the film earned an estimated $127M from 64 markets, including paid previews, representing 80% of the international footprint. Dead Reckoning‘s top international market, China ($47.7M), is set to open on May 30. Globally, the shot-on-IMAX film earned $31M from IMAX screens through Monday, representing 14.2% of the global total.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – Opening Weekend
Top Ten Overseas Markets
1. Korea | $12.7M
2. Japan | $11.0M
3. United Kingdom | $10.7M
4. India | $9.0M
5. France | $7.8M
6. Australia | $7.7M
7. Taiwan | $6.3M
8. Germany | $6.0M
9. Mexico | $3.9M
10. United Arab Emirates | $3.6M
Other Notable Performances
New Line’s Final Destination Bloodlines held firm in its second frame at #3, taking in $19.65M over the 3-Day and $24.5M over the 4-Day in 3,523 locations for a $94.6M domestic total. Overseas continues to be lockstep with domestic, taking $23M for a global total of $187.1M.
Angel Studios’ The Last Rodeo took in $5.26M on 2,205 screens for a PSA of $2,388, while the 4-day holiday total currently sits at $6.25M for a #6 finish. This is in line with the studio’s 2024 film Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin ($5M opening, $12.2M domestic total). CinemaScore was an “A” for Last Rodeo.
A24’s dark comedy Friendship racked up $4.59M over the 3-Day (and $5.7M for the 4-Day) on 1055 screens for a $4,352 PSA, and currently reports a $5.73M 4-day frame, landing just below it at #7. The current plan is to expand even more throughout the summer. The domestic total is $6.6M.
Next Weekend
Next week is fairly clear playing field for this week’s two marquee titles to continue making bank. Sony has Karate Kid: Legends, riding the coattails of Cobra Kai‘s streaming success with the return of Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan to the big screen. Meanwhile Wes Anderson’s modestly well-received Cannes entry The Phoenician Scheme featuring Benicio Del Toro leading an all-star ensemble.
Sunday Studio Estimates | Weekend 21 – 2025
Total 3-Day Domestic Gross: $261,682,613 | (+61.2% vs 2024)
Top Ten: Memorial Day Weekend 4-Day Estimates
| Title | 4-Day Est. | Locations | PSA | Week | Distributor |
| Lilo & Stitch | $183,000,000 | 4,410 | $41,497 | 1 | Walt Disney |
| Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning | $77,000,000 | 3,857 | $19,964 | 1 | Paramount |
| Final Destination: Bloodlines | $24,500,000 | 3,523 | $6,954 | 2 | Warner Bros. |
| Thunderbolts* | $11,600,000 | 3,180 | $3,648 | 4 | Walt Disney |
| Sinners | $11,230,000 | 2,632 | $4,267 | 6 | Warner Bros. |
| The Last Rodeo | $6,266,716 | 2,205 | $2,842 | 1 | Angel Studios |
| Friendship | $5,736,382 | 1,055 | $5,437 | 3 | A24 |
| A Minecraft Movie | $2,850,000 | 2,087 | $1,366 | 8 | Warner Bros. |
| The Accountant 2 | $2,548,000 | 2,002 | $1,273 | 5 | Amazon MGM |
| Hurry Up Tomorrow | $930,000 | 1,508 | $617 | 2 | Lionsgate |
Full 3-Day Estimates
| Title | Weekend Estimate | % Change | Locations | Location Change | PSA | Domestic Total | Week | Distributor |
| Lilo & Stitch | $145,500,000 | 4,410 | $32,993 | 145,500,000 | 1 | Disney | ||
| Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning | $63,000,000 | 3,857 | $16,334 | 63,000,000 | 1 | Paramount | ||
| Final Destination: Bloodlines | $19,650,000 | -62% | 3,523 | n/c | $5,578 | 89,782,000 | 2 | Warner Bros. |
| Thunderbolts* | $9,164,000 | -45% | 3,180 | -780 | $2,882 | 171,371,728 | 4 | Disney |
| Sinners | $8,750,000 | -42% | 2,632 | -886 | $3,324 | 256,551,000 | 6 | Warner Bros. |
| The Last Rodeo | $5,266,330 | 2,205 | $2,388 | 5,266,330 | 1 | Angel Studios | ||
| Friendship | $4,591,384 | 228% | 1,055 | 995 | $4,352 | 6,634,820 | 3 | A24 |
| A Minecraft Movie | $2,210,000 | -63% | 2,087 | -1,270 | $1,059 | 420,843,000 | 8 | Warner Bros. |
| The Accountant 2 | $1,970,000 | -59% | 2,002 | -1,227 | $984 | 62,871,750 | 5 | Amazon MGM |
| Hurry Up Tomorrow | $740,000 | -78% | 1,508 | -512 | $491 | 4,813,964 | 2 | Lionsgate |
| Jane Austen Wrecked My Life | $269,000 | 61 | $4,410 | 269,000 | 1 | Sony | ||
| Disney’s Snow White | $252,000 | 137% | 50 | -130 | $5,040 | 87,165,762 | 10 | Disney |
| The Amateur | $142,000 | -80% | 265 | -585 | $536 | 40,615,208 | 7 | 20th Century |
| Shadow Force | $27,000 | -96% | 2,114 | -56 | $13 | 3,917,613 | 3 | Lionsgate |
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