Disney’s Lilo & Stitch has delivered a massive win at the box office, raking in $341.7 million globally over Memorial Day weekend — the best performance ever for the holiday frame.
This is a major reversal of fortune after the studio’s Snow White remake flopped in March, opening with just $42 million despite a $250 million budget.
The runaway success of Lilo & Stitch sends Disney a clear message: not all animated classics are fit for live-action remakes — especially when it comes to legacy titles like 1937’s Snow White, which carries historical significance as Disney’s first animated feature.
Snow White was weighed down by controversies and the challenges of modernizing a beloved, outdated tale. In contrast, Lilo & Stitch has retained pop-culture relevance through sequels, TV spinoffs, and strong merchandise sales, making it a safer and more familiar choice for today’s families.
The alien-meets-ohana comedy checked two vital boxes: it resonated with younger audiences familiar with the brand and tapped into millennial nostalgia. That’s a balance legacy titles from nearly a century ago struggle to achieve.
Another key takeaway is the power of PG-rated movies. Films like Dog Man and Minecraft have also pulled in big numbers in 2025, proving that family-friendly content remains a box office staple. In fact, four of 2024’s top five earners were PG-rated films — a trend continuing strongly into this summer.
As Disney eyes more live-action adaptations, Lilo & Stitch shows that fresh, emotionally rich stories with broad appeal are safer bets than sacred classics that risk backlash and brand fatigue.
With more PG blockbusters like How to Train Your Dragon and Pixar’s Elio arriving in June, box office analysts predict a very strong summer ahead.
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