411 Box Office Report: Lilo & Stitch, Mission: Impossible Continue Reign, Karate Kid: Legends Opens At #3

It was a top two repeat at the box office this weekend as Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning reigned over Karate Kid: Legends. The live action Lilo & Stitch movie showe4d some legs with a $63 million sophomore frame, down 57% from its mega-opening last weekend. That’s far better than the hold for Snow White (66% drop in weekend two) and on par with The Little Mermaid (57%), both of which started with lower opening weekend.

Lilo & Stitch has already become a mega-hit at this point with $280.1 million – the second-best domestic total of the year thus far – and $610.8 million worldwide all on a production budget of $100 million plus marketing. Lilo is looking to leg out pretty nicely and $400 million is a given at this point, with its endgame somewhere north of $450 million.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning also had a solid hold as it too slipped 57% from its opening weekend with $27.3 million. That’s a big improvement over the last entry, Dead Reckoning, which slipped 65% in its second frame.

Final Reckoning is going to need those holds to stay good, as it has a massive $300 million to $400 million production budget to make up. But it’s off to as good a start as could be hoped with $122.6 million domestically and $353.8 million worldwide. It probably won’t prove profitable in theaters but domestically it should be able to make it to around $200 million, perhaps a bit more, and those overseas numbers will keep it from being an outright bomb.

Karate Kid: Legends had a soft opening as it had to settle for #3 at $21 million. That’s slightly on the low end of the $20 million to $25 million expectations coming into the weekend. The film, which combines the original films with the 2010 reboot, opened a far site below the latter’s $55.7 million opening weekend.

While reviews on the film have been mild (the Rotten Tomatoes critic aggregate is at 59%), the issue here seems to be that audiences just we’re keyed up to see this one. It must also be noted, however, that the one-two punch at the top of the box office took away both the family audiences and the demos that go to see action films – both of Karate Kid’s bread and butter. This was never going to be a blockbuster hit, but a different release window may have helped.

On the plus side for the film, it is well-liked among moviegoers who saw it. The film has a 90% RT audience rating and an A- CinemaScore, which could help with word of mouth. It has added a so-so $26 million overseas in two weekends and has $47 million worldwide thus far on a $45 million budget. If the film holds on well both domestically and overseas it will keep from being a loss, though no one will be throwing the term “hit” its way any time soon. Domestically it should probably be able to make it to around $55 million to $60 million or so.

Final Destination: Bloodlines keeps on trucking as it was down 44% in its third weekend to take in $10.8 million. The revival of the horror franchise is already by far the series’ most successful entry with $104.1 million domestically and $229.3 million worldwide. The domestic number is almost double the previous high (the fourth entry’s $66.5 million) and the worldwide numbers tops that same film’s $187.4 already. Bloodlines looks to close out its run with around $140 million in the US, quite profitable against its $50 million budget.

Speaking of horror, A24’s Bring Her Back had a perfectly decent opening as it took in $7.1 million, more or less where it was expected to coming into the frame. That’s a not so far below the Philippou Brothers’ Talk To Me, which was a breakout hit in July of 2023 with a $10.4 million start on its way to $48.3 million in the US.

Bring Her Back was always expected to gross a little bit less than Talk To Me; it didn’t have the latter’s unique visual hook and didn’t have a chance to build up the same wild critical buzz on the festival circuit. But it’s still a very good start for a film that cost just $4.5 million to start, buoyed by strong critical praise (90% on RT) and solid word of mouth (80% RT audience rating, B+ CinemaScore). Bring Her Back doesn’t have buzzy competition in the genre until 28 Years Later arrives in three weeks and it should be able to get to around $30 million in the US, which will be more than enough for a profit. It added $1 million overseas for an $8.1 million worldwide start.

Sinners continues to hold well, as the Ryan Coogler vampire film was down just 40% to $5.2 million in its seventh weekend. The Warner Bros. release has $267.1 million domestically and $350 million worldwide, with a likely closing point in the US at around $280 million. The budget was $90 million so this is a massive success.

Thunderbolts* slipped 51% in its fifth weekend to take in $4.8 million. The MCU entry now has $181.9 million domestically and $369.6 million worldwide against a $180 million budget. It should still be able to cross $205 million in the US.

A24’s Friendship scored $2.6 million, off 44% in its third weekend. The Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd comedy continues to overperform and has $12.4 million thus far domestically, with no overseas play set as of yet. No word on its budget but it should close out around $18 million, a number the studio is pleased with.

Angel Studios’ The Last Rodeo did what the studios’ films usually do and slipped heavily, down 61% to $2.1 million. That is not a sign of failure for the film, to be clear; Angel Studios markets heavily to its demographic and thus their films tend to be a bit frontloaded. The drama is at $10.8 million thus far and should end out at around $15 million, a perfectly fine result.

Closing out the top 10 was J-Hope Tour: Hope on Stage. The concert film from the BTS member took in a perfectly solid $939,000, bringing its worldwide total to $4.1 million. We almost surely won’t see this in the top 10 next week but it’s a fine result and is accomplishing what the studio needs it to do.

Next weekend seems likely to see Lilo & Stitch in a battle with Ana de Armas for the top spot as From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. Ballerina is looking at a start of around $35 million. The wide expansion of Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme seems likely for around $7 million to $10 million.

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)
1. Lilo & Sitch – $63 million ($280.1 million total, $610.8 million WW)
2. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – $27.3 million ($122.6 million total, $353.8 million WW)
3. Karate Kid: Legends – $21 million ($21 million total, $47 million WW)
4. Final Destination: Bloodlines – $10.8 million ($111.7 million total, $229.3 million WW)
5. Bring Her Back – $7.1 million ($7.1 million total, $8.1 million WW)
6. Sinners – $5.2 million ($267.1 million total, $350.1 million WW)
7. Thunderbolts* – $4.8 million ($181.9 million total, $369.6 million WW)
8. Friendship – $2.6 million ($12.4 million total, $12.4 million WW)
9. The Last Rodeo – $2.1 million ($10.8 million total, $10.8 million WW)
10. J-Hope Tour: Hope on Stage – $939,000 ($939,000 total, $4.1 million WW)