ZAMM.COM

It was a holdover hits weekend with solid holds for both powerhouse pictures that made Memorial Day ’25 a record setter.

Besides LILO & STITCH and MI8, exhibitors also got one new major studio release — Sony/Jerry Weintraub Productions’ KARATE KID: LEGENDS, which under-performed with an estimated $21M, but still put more popcorn buyers in multiplex seats. Hollywood handicappers expected a happier kick-off to $25-30M. Now some are buzzing that Monday could see it with $19-20M.

Directed by Jonathan Entwistle (first theatrical feature), the PG-13 family action drama came in third at 3,809 theatres ($5,513). It also chopped off $26M internationally, making its worldwide cume $47M. In LEGENDS, starring Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio & Ben Wang, young kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Wang) moves to New York, starting a journey to enter the ultimate karate competition.

LEGENDS is the sixth episode in the KK franchise that kicked off 6/22/84 and did $91.1M worldwide — strong ticket sales then — on an $8M budget. It’s tracking best for first choice with men over 25 (four points above norm). Rotten Tomatoes critics hate it at 57%, but paying audiences are applauding at 90%, which should mean good boxoffice legs. BUDGET BUZZ: $45M to produce.

Domestic ticket sales this weekend were $149.2M, according to Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian. That’s down 43.6% from the prior weekend, but up 122% vs. this time last year. Comscore’s year to date tally has 2025 at $3.35B, up 25.7% from $2.67B in 2024. The prior weekend’s final numbers showed 2025 up by 21.5% vs. last year.

Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: Disney/Rideback’s LILO & STITCH was #1 again in its second weekend with $63M (-57%) at 4,410 theatres ($14,286). It’s done $280.1M domestic and $610.8M worldwide. BUDGET BUZZ: $100M to produce. The first LILO did $274M worldwide on a budget of $80M in 2002.

Paramount/Skydance Media’s MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING was #2 again with $27.3 M (-57%) at 3,861 theatres ($7,071). It’s done $122.6M domestic and $353.8M worldwide. BUDGET BUZZ: $400M to produce. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie (TOP GUN: MAVERICK) and starring Tom Cruise, it’s the franchise’s eighth and, apparently, final episode.

Warner Bros./New Line Cinema’s FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES, was #4 in weekend three with $10.8M (-44%) at 3,134 theatres ($3,446). FINAL’s done $111.7M domestic and $229.3M worldwide. BUDGET BUZZ: $50M to produce.

Next weekend (6/6): Lionsgate’s R rated action thriller FROM THE WORLD OF JOHN WICK: BALLERINA, starring Ana de Armas & Keanu Reeves, is the only big studio launch. Directed by Len Wiseman (TOTAL RECALL), BALLERINA is tracking best and equally well for first choice with men under & over 25 (equal to norm in both demos).