Box Office Results at The Numbers and Mojo
Lilo & Stitch, released in 2002 by Walt Disney Pictures, earned about $273 million to $274 million in global box office receipts. On Box Office Mojo, which is commonly referenced as Mojo for short, the title represents a modest but stable performer in Disney’s mid-2000s animated catalog. The film’s theatrical run occurred during a period when the studio balanced large event releases with smaller-format animation. Box office data for Lilo & Stitch reflects both its initial wide launch and later re-releases, which together contribute to its tracked lifetime gross.
| Metric | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Worldwide Box Office | $273–274 million | Box Office Mojo / The Numbers |
| Domestic (North America) Share | Approx. $102 million | Box Office Mojo |
| International Share | Approx. $171–172 million | Box Office Mojo / Reported breakdowns |
| Release Window | June 2002 (wide) | Studio and trade sources |
| Primary Revenue Windows | Theatrical, home video, TV licensing, streaming | Industry standard for Walt Disney Animation Studios |
How Mojo Tracks and Reports Lifetime Performance
Box Office Mojo gathers data from national box office reporting services, studio reports, and historical archives to calculate lifetime grosses for theatrical releases. For catalog titles like Lilo & Stitch, Mojo includes both the original theatrical run and revenue from re-releases, which can adjust rankings over time. The platform also tracks inflation‑adjusted metrics where relevant, though those estimates are updated periodically. Because Mojo relies on sourced data feeds, small revisions can occur as new international reports or archival corrections are incorporated. Understanding this methodology helps interpret how the film’s standing evolves on the site.
Key Features of Mojo’s Reporting
- Consolidated global totals across all markets
- Breakdowns by domestic and international territories
- Re-release adjustments and historical corrections
- Cross‑reference with franchise and sequel tracking
Franchise and Related Revenue Context
Lilo & Stitch functions as both a standalone story and the launchpad for a multi‑media franchise that includes sequels, television series, direct‑to‑video movies, and theme park elements. Box office Mojo lists related theatrical releases such as Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch and Leroy & Stitch, enabling comparative analysis across the franchise. While these follow‑ups generally earned less per film, their cumulative contribution is notable when assessing overall franchise performance on Mojo. The platform’s franchise pages allow viewers to see how each installment contributes to aggregate earnings.
Home Video, Television, and Streaming Economics
Beyond theatrical receipts, the long‑term value of Lilo & Stitch is realized through home video, broadcast television, and streaming availability. Historically, home video generated significant revenue for Disney animated films, and Lilo & Stitch participated in that pattern with VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray sales and rentals. Television licensing added further income through cable and network windows. More recently, inclusion on Disney+ has provided ongoing streaming residuals. Box Office Mojo primarily focuses on theatrical box office, so these ancillary earnings are tracked by other industry analysts, but they are essential to the film’s overall profitability. The combination of durable catalog appeal across formats extends the return on investment well beyond the initial theatrical run.
Thematic and Cultural Drivers of Longevity
The sustained interest in Lilo & Stitch is supported by several factors that extend its relevance. The Hawaiian setting and culturally grounded storytelling differentiate it within Disney’s mid-2000s output. Themes of chosen family, outsider identity, and redemption resonate across demographics and remain timely, supporting steady viewership on streaming services. Nostalgia among early-2000s audiences, combined with periodic re-releases and cross‑promotional campaigns, contributes to recurrent small‑scale box office bumps when the film returns to theaters. These thematic and cultural elements help the title maintain a stable position on Mojo’s rankings for back‑catalog animated features, even if headline grosses are overshadowed by larger tentpole releases.
Comparisons With Contemporaneous Disney Animated Films
When Lilo & Stitch is placed alongside other Walt Disney Animation Studios releases from roughly the same era, its box office performance can be evaluated more clearly. The following comparison highlights how it sits within the broader portfolio of Disney animated features released in the early 2000s.
| Film | Release Year | Worldwide Box Office | Relative Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lilo & Stitch | 2002 | $273–274 million | Moderate, mid-tier performer |
| Treasure Planet | 2002 | $380 million | Higher gross, elevated budget |
| The Emperor’s New Groove | 2000 | $169 million | Smaller scale, modest original run |
| Brother Bear | 2003 | $250 million | Comparable mid-2000s entry |
| Home on the Range | 2004 | $346 million | Strong mid-2000s performance |
This comparison shows that Lilo & Stitch ranks as a steady, reliable performer within Disney’s mid-2000s animated slate, generally outperforming smaller early-2000s efforts while trailing the largest releases. On Box Office Mojo, this relative positioning helps contextualize its financial footprint and catalog value.
Streaming, Catalog Value, and Long-Term Profitability
In the streaming era, Lilo & Stitch benefits from placement on Disney+ where it reaches new generations of viewers and retains older fans. Streaming exposure does not directly appear on Box Office Mojo, which is limited to theatrical box office, but it sustains audience awareness and can drive traffic to theatrical re-releases. For rights holders, the combination of catalog streaming residuals, modest but consistent re-release bumps, and enduring brand recognition supports long-term profitability. Mojo remains the go‑to source for tracking how theatrical performance accumulates over years, especially when new distribution windows create incremental revenue.