Disney’s live-action Lilo and Stitch remake has delivered a stunning box office upset, crushing Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning in what’s being hailed as one of 2025’s biggest cinematic showdowns, according to bbc.com.
The Hawaiian family adventure, starring eight-year-old Maia Kealoha alongside a computer-generated alien companion, raked in an impressive $341 million worldwide, smashing Memorial Day weekend records and claiming the year’s second-highest opening after A Minecraft Movie.
Meanwhile, Cruise’s potentially final outing as Ethan Hunt managed a respectable but distant $190 million globally, proving the 62-year-old action star still draws crowds despite being outpaced by Disney’s latest nostalgic offering.
The Mission: Impossible veteran seemed to confirm this eighth installment would be his last, telling reporters, “It’s the final! It’s not called ‘final’ for nothing.” However, industry insiders remain skeptical about whether Cruise will truly end his impossible missions.
Critical reception has been decidedly mixed for both blockbusters. The Final Reckoning earned praise from The Guardian as a “wildly entertaining adventure” with five stars, while others like The Hollywood Reporter deemed it “a disappointing farewell.”
Lilo and Stitch faced similar divided opinions, with The Daily Beast calling it “jovial, zany, and sweet,” contrasting sharply with The Times’ harsh “mind-numbing abomination” verdict.
The live-action remake, featuring Courtney B. Vance and Zach Galifianakis, now ranks as Disney’s third-most successful animated adaptation opening, trailing only 2019’s The Lion King and 2017’s Beauty and the Beast.
