Every Hollywood titan knows the presale battlefield often predicts box office glory, and Disney’s upcoming “Lilo & Stitch” live-action remake has just fired a significant warning shot across the bow of the competition. The Hawaiian-set adventure has officially dethroned “A Minecraft Movie” as 2025’s top PG-rated first-day ticket seller on Fandango, despite the latter’s impressive $875 million global haul and status as this year’s highest-grossing Hollywood film worldwide.
Industry insiders are buzzing over this unexpected coup, particularly as “Lilo & Stitch” now ranks second only to 2019’s “The Lion King” among Disney’s live-action remakes in first-day presale figures. The blue alien’s ticket-selling prowess has surpassed previous billion-dollar performers like “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” and “Alice in Wonderland,” suggesting Disney’s experiment with Hawaiian aliens might yield astronomical returns. The success follows a broader trend where female protagonists now represent 42% of top-grossing films, marking a significant shift in audience preferences.
The achievement carries extra weight considering Disney’s recent strategic pullback on live-action remakes, a move that now seems questionable given these numbers. The presale triumph comes despite “Minecraft’s” formidable box office trajectory, which saw early $60 million forecasts balloon into a $162.7 million opening weekend.
What makes this particularly fascinating is how “Lilo & Stitch” is leveraging its nostalgic appeal, with Stitch’s character recognition factor working overtime across merchandise and theme parks. The film, directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, brings a fresh vision to the beloved story of a Hawaiian girl and her alien friend. Families and adult fans of the 2002 original (which boasts an impressive 86% Rotten Tomatoes score) are clearly rushing to secure opening weekend seats. According to Fandango EVP Jerramy Hainline, the incredible presale numbers reflect the character’s lasting appeal across generations of Disney fans.
As Memorial Day weekend approaches, Disney CEO Bob Iger’s description of early tracking as “enormous” seems almost understated. The film faces Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” setting up a blockbuster showdown.
If history serves as precedent, even lukewarm critical reception won’t dampen box office potential, as several Disney remakes with mediocre reviews have crossed the billion-dollar threshold.
The industry implications are clear: Disney might need to reconsider its remake strategy, while competitors must acknowledge the enduring power of family-friendly nostalgia plays in today’s theatrical landscape.