Here’s Deadline’s box office sources implying that “Lilo & Stitch” will have the biggest Memorial Day opening in history — $180M is the current tally. To think this one, much like “Moana 2,” was originally set to debut on Disney+ before the studio reversed course.
Meanwhile, “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” will bring in a 4-day total of $75M, which is a franchise record — and that’s despite the film earning lower-than-usual scores from critics. Audiences seem to like it, as “Final Reckoning” earned an A- on CinemaScore.
In case you’re wondering, “Final Destination: Bloodlines” dropped 63% from its impressive opening last weekend — it’s currently headed for a $24M 4-day total. Is the fact that audiences heard it’ll be out on VOD less than two weeks from now part of the reason for the drop? Not necessarily. A rep from Warner Bros swears to me that the June 2 digital date I reported on isn’t set in stone, but it’s certainly been published in other outlets.
A24’s “Friendship” expanded to just over 1,000 screens this weekend — and guess what? It’s looking at an impressive $8M weekend. I’m told the budget on the film was “under $10M.” This has become an indie comedy hit for A24, and it helps that the film is a laugh-out-loud riot.