Disney’s Lilo & Stitch remake and Tom Cruise’s supposed farewell in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning have stormed the global box office, marking one of the biggest opening weekends of the year.
Disney’s live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch has surpassed expectations with an impressive $341 million in global takings, making it the second-highest opening of 2025 so far—just behind A Minecraft Movie. The film also broke the record for the US Memorial Day weekend.
The reimagining of the beloved 2002 animated classic features Courtney B. Vance, Zach Galifianakis, and eight-year-old newcomer Maia Kealoha, alongside a computer-generated Stitch. While the film has earned praise from some critics as “jovial, zany, and sweet” (The Daily Beast), others were less kind, with The Times calling it a “mind-numbing abomination.”
Meanwhile, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eighth installment in the long-running franchise, opened to $190 million globally. Tom Cruise, who has played agent Ethan Hunt since 1996, hinted this would be his final appearance, telling the Hollywood Reporter, “It’s the final! It’s not called ‘final’ for nothing.” Still, fans remain skeptical that Cruise’s action days are truly over.
The film has received mixed but largely positive reviews, with The Guardian awarding it five stars and calling it a “wildly entertaining adventure,” while Vanity Fair hailed it as a “worthy send-off.” However, some critics were less enthusiastic; Mashable warned that the franchise risked ending with the “fizzled whimper of a message self-destructing in a tape deck.”
Together, the two blockbusters have reinvigorated the summer movie season, suggesting that despite mixed critical receptions, big-name franchises and nostalgic reboots continue to draw massive audiences.
Read next
17:13
U.S. strikes on Iran
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday voiced deep concern over the escalating tensions following the United States’ military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling on all sides to prioritize diplomacy over confrontation.
16:11
Bold and Brilliant
The Pentagon concluded a high-stakes press briefing Saturday afternoon following the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, outlining the scale and success of the mission while stressing the door remains open to diplomacy.
15:53
Türkiye
Türkiye has voiced strong concern following the United States’ strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, warning that the action could dangerously escalate the conflict and trigger a global crisis.
14:00
oil price
Global investors are bracing for significant market turmoil when trading reopens, with analysts predicting a sharp spike in oil prices and a flight to safe-haven assets following the United States' announcement of military strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities.
13:55
"Red Line" crossed
Iran’s top diplomat on Sunday issued a stark condemnation of the United States following overnight military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, declaring that Washington had crossed a "very big red line" and would be held "fully responsible" for the consequences.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment