Disney's 'Lilo & Stitch' crushes Memorial Day debut in North America
Theaters across North America are enjoying an exceptional Memorial Day holiday weekend, with two new much-anticipated blockbusters bringing in an estimated box office totaling well over $250 million, analysts said Sunday. Disney's family-friendly "Lilo & Stitch" earned an estimated $183 million, a record for the four-day Memorial Day weekend, according to Variety.
The film has already taken in an additional $158 million internationally, industry tracker Exhibitor Relations reported. "This is a sensational opening," placing the film among the top three Disney live-action remakes, said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. Maia Kealoha (as Lilo), Hannah Waddingham, Courtney B. Vance and Zach Galifianakis star, while Chris Sanders again provides the voice of the chaos-creating blue alien Stitch.
Paramount's new spy thriller "Mission: Impossible -- The Final Reckoning" -- the latest, and ostensibly last, in the hugely successful Tom Cruise series -- opened to an estimated $77 million in ticket sales in the United States and Canada. Gross called that an "excellent" opening, probably the best ever in the series. Ticket sales, however, need to make up for a huge production budget estimated at $400 million.
The marquee is seen during the world premiere of Disney's live action remake of "Lilo & Stitch" at the El Capitan theatre in Hollywood, California.--AFP photos
US actor Kaipo Dudoit (right) and US actress Maia Kealoha attend the world premiere of Disney's live action remake of "Lilo & Stitch" at the El Capitan theatre in Hollywood, California.
In third, dropping two spots from its opening last weekend, was Warner Bros. and New Line's horror film "Final Destination: Bloodlines," at $24.5 million. Kaitlyn Santa Juana stars as a young woman who has to deal with the grisly aftereffects of her grandmother having long ago cheated Death.
Fourth place went to Disney and Marvel's superhero film "Thunderbolts," at $11.6 million. Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan lead a motley bunch of misfits and antiheroes. The film has taken in more than $350 million worldwide. And in fifth was Ryan Coogler's vampire thriller "Sinners," raking in $11.2 million. The film has now earned $259 million domestically to become one of the highest-grossing R-rated films ever, according to Variety.
Rounding out the top films were:
"The Last Rodeo" ($6.3 million)
"Friendship" ($5.7 million)
"A Minecraft Movie" ($2.9 million)
"The Accountant 2" ($2.5 million) — AFP
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