Lilo & Stitch already on sale and reports detailing the film's budget being made available, the new Disney film's path to success is becoming clear. Inside a cramped summer movie season full of exciting films, the new take on this animated classic hopes to be able to rise to the top.

Even though there are several live-action Disney remakes in the works, the state of these films has changed in recent years. While movies like The Jungle Book and Aladdin were able to find great success, Snow White was a financial disappointment, as was the international release of The Little Mermaid. Thus, these live-action Disney remakes no longer seem to be as sure a thing as they were even a few years ago. This has led many to wonder how Lilo & Stitch might perform relative to its budget.

Lilo & Stitch's Budget Is Reportedly $100 Million

The New Disney Remake's Budget Is Surprisingly Low

According to details released by movies have become too expensive to be regularly profitable.

Following production shutdowns for Lilo & Stitch due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023, it is surprising that the film was able to finish with such a low price tag. Few recent live-action releases from Disney have been able to keep their costs this low, with 2015's Cinderella being one of few similar points of financial comparison. With a fully animated character being one of the most important figures in the film, and with that animation looking strong from the marketing, the studio has somehow kept costs low elsewhere.

Lilo & Stitch's Opening Weekend Box Office Projections

The New Film Is Set For A Strong Opening For Disney

While updated projections for the film's success are not yet available, Lilo & Stitch's billion-dollar likelihood has grown significantly. Even opening against Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, the new film looks set to dominate the box office for many weeks to come.

With the first reactions to Lilo & Stitch coming out before the film's release, and being quite positive, those numbers could grow even higher. While reviews are not yet available, many critics have seen the film and have posted their first reactions online. The Direct's Russ Milheim called the film "easily one of the best Disney remakes", and other responses have echoed this. @AJGaliardi and many others reiterated this point, emphasizing the strength of Stitch's character and the heartwarming feel of the film.

The original Lilo & Stitch movie, which was released in 2002, made $273 million against a $60 million budget.

It's also worth noting that Disney has been pushing the marketing for Lilo & Stitch, which hints at the studio's confidence in the remake. This includes popcorn pranks at theaters and poster crossovers with other Disney properties, well over a month before its release. This tactic is seemingly working in its favor, generating a lot of buzz and reactions online to further boost the hype. In addition, this response is a stark contrast with the Snow White remake, which received limited marketing ahead of its release.

Lilo & Stitch Needs To Make Over $250 Million To Be A Box Office Success

The Film's Budget Sets It Up To Be A Major Disney Success

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There are so many factors to consider when calculating how much a movie needs to make to break even, including a lower cut in ticket sales in international territories for the studio and varying spending on marketing. However, most agree that a 2.5x multiplier over the film's cost generally puts a movie into the black. Following this logic, Lilo & Stitch will need to make $250 million to break even. The Lilo & Stitch suggest that the new film will reach this number fairly quickly.

Lilo & Stitch is likely to be a big hit for Disney, and this weekend will almost certainly be great for movie theaters around the world.

With a figure like this, and tracking as strong as it is, Lilo & Stitch may even become profitable during its first weekend. However, if it does not, it is almost certain that the film will reach this total by the end of its second weekend, giving the film plenty of room in subsequent weeks to generate pure profit for Disney. Following the studio's 2025 disappointments with Snow White and Captain America: Brave New World, and amidst a below-expected box office run for Thunderbolts*, the studio needs this win as it moves into the summer.

Lilo & Stitch is likely to be a big hit for Disney, and this weekend will almost certainly be great for movie theaters around the world. With the new family-friendly film tracking to open above Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, it now seems poised to become one of the biggest films of the year. With glowing reactions and excellent marketing, as well as a reasonable bar to success, Lilo & Stitch will not have too far to go to reap a profit early in its theatrical run.

Source: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Russ Milheim/X, @AJGaliardi/X