The Showdown Nobody Saw Coming
Stitch, teh genetically engineered chaos gremlin, just body-slammed Ana de Armas' assassin ballerina at the box office. Disney's Lilo & Stitch live-action remake clawed its way to a third weekend atop the charts, raking in $32.5 million, while Ballerina, the much-hyped John Wick spinoff, limped to second place with a meh $25 million. Who'd bet on a blue furball over a trained killer? Apparently, moviegoers did.
Why Stitch's Win Is a Disney Flex
This isn't just a win—it's a Hawaiian haymaker. Lilo & Stitch has now grossed $335.8 million domestically and a whopping $772.6 million globally, making it the third-highest-grossing film of 2025. It's outpacing Disney's own live-action remakes like Aladdin ($232.6 million by day 17) and The Little Mermaid ($229.2 million). Only Jon Favreau's The Lion King ($431.2 million) looms larger, but Stitch is nipping at its heels. Compare that to Snow White, which faceplanted at $205.5 million globally, and it's clear Disney's found a formula that doesn't just recycle nostalgia—it weaponizes it.
The secret sauce? A kid-friendly alien with heart, played by Chris Sanders, paired with a Hawaiian vibe that's pulling families like a tractor beam. Meanwhile, Ballerina—despite an “A-” CinemaScore and 75% on Rotten Tomatoes—couldn't muster the same crowd-pulling mojo. A studio insider allegedly whispered, “It's like trying to sell a vegan burger at a butcher shop—John Wick fans wanted Keanu, not a new face.”
The Hidden Story: Spinoffs Are a Risky Dance
Ballerina's stumble isn't just a bad weekend—it's a warning shot. Spinoffs are Hollywood's favorite gamble, but they're like trying to bottle lightning. The John Wick franchise built its empire on Keanu Reeves' stoic charm, with Chapter 4 banking $447.3 million globally. Ballerina, set between Wick 3 and 4, had Reeves in a supporting role, but Ana de Armas' Eve Macarro was the star. At $80-90 million to produce, that $25 million opening is a near-franchise low, barely topping the original John Wick's $14.4 million debut in 2014. History's littered with spinoff flops—remember Solo: A Star Wars Story's $393 million global gross against a $275 million budget? Ouch.
Lionsgate's banking on Ballerina growing legs, but with How to Train Your Dragon—another live-action remake—dropping next weekend, the competition's about to get fiercer. Ironically, Dragon's director, Dean DeBlois, helmed the original animated Lilo & Stitch. Talk about a cinematic cage match.
Karen Gillan's Nebula: A Cosmic Footnote?
While Stitch dominates, Karen Gillan's MCU future as Nebula is murkier than a Kree swamp. After a decade-long redemption arc in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, her character's story feels wrapped—maybe too neatly. Gillan's been coy, telling MovieWeb, “It's so much fun working in the Marvel world… but maybe…” No Avengers: Doomsday cast list includes her, and with James Gunn now running DC, a Guardians comeback seems unlikely. Still, Marvel loves a surprise—Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man return in No Way Home proved that. Could Nebula pop up? Never say never, but don't hold your breath.
The Verdict: Family Wins, Assassins Limp
Lilo & Stitch is a juggernaut, proving family-friendly remakes can still pack a punch. Ballerina's misstep shows spinoffs need more than a familiar name—they need soul. Will Stitch keep ruling, or will How to Train Your Dragon steal its crown? And is Nebula done for good, or is Marvel cooking something cosmic? Drop your take in the comments—genius or garbage, let's hear it.
Here's the Top 10 Box Office chart for the weekend of June 6–8, 2025, based on verified data:
| Rank | Title | Weekend Gross | Domestic Gross | Theaters | Last Week Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lilo & Stitch | $32,500,000 | $335,796,345 | 4,185 | 1 |
| 2 | Ballerina | $25,000,000 | $25,000,000 | 3,409 | N/A |
| 3 | Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning | $15,000,047 | $149,217,047 | 3,496 | 2 |
| 4 | Karate Kid: Legends | $8,700,000 | $35,441,000 | 3,859 | 3 |
| 5 | Final Destination: Bloodlines | $6,500,000 | $123,565,000 | 2,867 | 4 |
| 6 | The Phoenician Scheme | $6,250,000 | $6,982,000 | 1,678 | 14 |
| 7 | Bring Her Back | $3,526,295 | $14,112,796 | 2,425 | 5 |
| 8 | Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye | $3,096,000 | $3,096,000 | 1,085 | N/A |
| 9 | Sinners | $2,910,000 | $272,631,000 | 1,518 | 6 |
| 10 | Thunderbolts | $2,500,000 | $186,492,793 | 1,955 | 7 |
