Disney’s New Billion-Dollar Baby Isn’t Marvel or Pixar—It’s Lilo & Stitch

Lilo & Stitch just made box office history — again.

Disney’s beloved intergalactic duo has officially blasted past the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office, becoming the first and only film of 2025 to reach the milestone. As of Wednesday, the live-action remake has earned $1.001 billion globally, split between $416.2 million domestic and $584.8 million internationally, solidifying its reign as the No. 1 MPA movie of the year.

The film’s meteoric rise began on May 23, when it opened to a record-breaking $183 million over Memorial Day weekend — the biggest holiday launch in box office history. It has since become just the second film of the year to surpass $400 million domestically.

📈 Global Ohana Power

Lilo & Stitch has resonated far beyond U.S. borders, with massive international success. It’s now Disney’s highest-grossing live-action film of all time in Mexico, and tops the 2025 charts in key territories like France, Brazil, Italy, and Spain.

The Top 10 global markets include:

• Mexico – $67M
• UK – $48.9M
• France – $42.4M
• Brazil – $37.4M
• Germany – $32.4M
• Spain – $27.4M
• China – $25.2M
• Italy – $25.1M
• Australia – $21.1M
• Argentina – $20.1M

Latin America alone has contributed nearly $200 million to the overall total, signaling the franchise’s massive cultural and emotional reach.

🎬 Disney Reacts

Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, celebrated the achievement:

“We knew there was a lot of love for Lilo & Stitch with audiences around the world, yet we never take that for granted. We’re proud of how this film has connected with people.”

He also confirmed that more adventures are on the way, as a sequel is now officially in development.

📺 Disney+ Surge

The success of the theatrical release has reignited interest in the Lilo & Stitch franchise across platforms. The original animated film and related titles have now been streamed more than 640 million hours globally on Disney+, setting new records for legacy content performance.

This $1 billion win marks Disney’s fourth in just over a year, joining the ranks of Moana 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, and Inside Out 2.

🎥 MainEvent.News | Backstage Take

Hollywood’s obsession with nostalgia continues to pay off — but Lilo & Stitch wasn’t just a nostalgia play. This remake hit every note: heart, humor, cultural connection, and global accessibility. In a year where the box office has stumbled to find consistent billion-dollar hits, Disney's gamble on a mischievous blue alien reminded the industry that legacy IP, when handled with care, still packs an emotional and financial punch.

But behind the scenes, this also shows a shift — Disney is leaning harder into international markets and cross-platform momentum. The movie’s performance on Disney+ underscores the studio’s real strategy: theatrical wins drive streaming surges. Expect more live-action reboots, emotional storytelling, and global-first rollouts to follow.