It seems that Disney has big plans for the Lilo & Stitch IP beyond just the live-action remake that's just released in theatres in the UK and is about to release worldwide. It appears Disney is expecting a lot of us to fall head over heels with the little blue alien, and it's even planning sequels.
That's according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, which indicates that the film could open to a $150 million weekend in the US, beating out Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning by some margin. On a production budget of $100 million too, with a bit of worldwide box office success Stitch could start netting the Mouse a tidy profit.
The original movie did not do amazingly well for Disney at the box office. It drew $273 million, which is a lot of cash, but compared to other, more forgotten films like Chicken Little and Bolt, it failed to draw. However, Stitch merchandise has been a booming industry, growing to $2.6 billion in FY2024, becoming one of Disney's best-selling franchises.
More movies of course means more merch opportunities, and the merchandise being bought means people would be interested in more movies. Lilo & Stitch did see a couple of sequels and a spin-off series back in the day, so there's plenty of material left to adapt to live-action.