Lilo and Stitch will never be the highest-grossing movie of 2025

Among all creatures, both terrestrial and extraterrestrial, the most adorable blue alien is stealing the show at the 2025 box office. However, it’s clear that Lilo and Stitch won’t hold the title for the highest-grossing film of the year due to a glaring explanation.

There’s nowhere else we’d prefer to be than riding our surfboards out on the ocean. As for Lilo and Stitch, it has already earned an impressive $361.2 million globally, with $183 million of that from the US market. This success was achieved in just a short period of time…

Indeed, the live-action rendition has faced its fair share of criticism too. Besides eliminating the original antagonist, Captain Gantu, from the narrative, it’s evident that certain scenes appear to have been altered in a manner that displeases many viewers when you browse through social media platforms.

Despite the fact that nothing can deter a blue character like Stitch, we’ll likely see excitement around Lilo and Stitch lasting for quite some time. However, there’s one factor preventing the upcoming movie from claiming the top spot on the box office charts in 2025.

Ne Zha 2 has Lilo and Stitch beat for 2025’s highest-grossing movie

Speaking of unexpected hits, do you recall the Chinese animated film that swept the globe like wildfire? It’s worth noting that Ne Zha 2 continues to reign supreme as the top-earning movie of 2025, with Lilo & Stitch trailing in third place.

Currently, the global movie box office ranking looks something like this:

Rank	Film	Worldwide	Domestic
1	Ne Zha 2	$1,898,629,967	$20,858,156
2	A Minecraft Movie	$947,055,168	$422,955,168
3	Lilo & Stitch	$610,821,482	$280,121,482
4	Captain America: Brave New World	$415,101,577	$200,500,001
5	Thunderbolts*	$369,558,785	$181,858,785
6	Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning	$353,818,108	$122,618,108
7	Sinners	$350,087,268	$267,087,268
8	Final Destination: Bloodlines	$229,314,062	$111,714,062
9	Snow White	$205,437,846	$87,203,312
10	Dog Man	$144,916,426	$97,970,355

In case you’re unfamiliar with Ne Zha 2, the film continues the story from its 2019 version. After a heavenly bolt of lightning nearly takes their lives, Ne Zha and Ao Bing find themselves sharing a single body.

Following the disaster, both Ne Zha and Ao Bing’s souls were miraculously spared, but their physical forms were about to disintegrate. Master Taiyi Zhenren intended to employ a seven-colored lotus to reconstruct their broken bodies.

Although Ne Zha 2 currently leads the pack, Lilo & Stitch and A Minecraft Movie remain contenders for top box office positions. Despite Minecraft having exited most theaters, it’s still showing on a limited number of screens, translating to reduced ticket sales compared to its initial run.

Furthermore, it’s important to note that both Minecraft and Lilo & Stitch share a broad audience base. Minecraft benefits from its established, older fanbase, but it remains a film suitable for families. On the other hand, Lilo & Stitch is a remake of a contemporary Disney favorite that resonates with viewers across various age groups.

It’s likely that Lilo and Stitch will continue ruling the box office for several more weeks, but the release of the new How to Train Your Dragon could disrupt this again.

2025-06-02 14:51

Ne Zha 2 has Lilo and Stitch beat for 2025’s highest-grossing movie

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