Weekend Box Office Analysis: ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Soars to $83.7 Million Opening
The weekend box office for June 13-15, 2025, saw Universal Pictures’ live-action remake of “How to Train Your Dragon” dominate theaters with a stronger-than-expected debut, while other contenders fought for their share of summer moviegoers’ attention.
Dragon Breathes Fire at the Box Office
Universal’s gamble on bringing the beloved animated franchise into the live-action realm paid off handsomely this Father’s Day weekend. “How to Train Your Dragon” captured an impressive $83.7 million domestically, easily surpassing pre-release projections that had the film opening closer to $70 million. This marks the strongest domestic opening in the franchise’s history, proving that the strategy of reimagining animated classics as live-action spectacles continues to resonate with audiences—when executed properly.
The film didn’t just perform well stateside. International audiences contributed another $114 million to the haul, bringing the worldwide opening total to a formidable $197.8 million against a reported production budget of $150 million (with approximately $100 million more spent on marketing). Key international markets driving this success included Mexico, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and China.
Universal has clearly connected with the film’s multi-generational appeal. The original animated “How to Train Your Dragon” hit theaters in 2010, meaning many parents introducing their children to this new version likely have their own nostalgic connection to the source material. This emotional bridge, combined with the father-son relationship at the heart of the story, made the Father’s Day weekend timing particularly apt.
The studio is so confident in the film’s trajectory that they’ve already greenlit a sequel for June 2027, suggesting this dragon has plenty more fire left to breathe.
‘Lilo & Stitch’ Continues Strong Run
Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” held firm in second place after dominating the charts for three consecutive weekends. The film added another $15.5 million domestically, bringing its North American total to $366 million. Internationally, the film performed even better, adding $31.3 million for a global cumulative of $858 million.
At this pace, “Lilo & Stitch” stands a reasonable chance of becoming 2025’s first billion-dollar film—a milestone that would validate Disney’s ongoing strategy of refreshing its animated classics for modern audiences. However, unlike some other remakes that have struggled to capture the magic of their predecessors (with “Snow White” being a notable example), “Lilo & Stitch” has managed to retain the emotional core that made the original resonate while updating its visual language for today’s audiences.
A24’s ‘Materialists’ Exceeds Expectations
In third place, A24’s romantic comedy “Materialists” debuted stronger than anticipated with $12 million domestically from 2,844 theaters. When combined with its $3.5 million international take, the film’s $15.5 million global opening represents a solid start for a mid-budget offering in a marketplace dominated by tentpoles.
The film, which stars Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal, marks the sophomore effort from director Celine Song, whose debut “Past Lives” earned critical acclaim and awards recognition. With “Materialists,” Song continues to examine relationships through a distinctive lens that’s connecting with audiences.
While critical reception has been largely positive (87% on Rotten Tomatoes), audience response has been more mixed, as evidenced by a B- CinemaScore and a 69% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. This discord between critical and audience reception could create challenges for the film’s word-of-mouth prospects, though A24’s marketing has effectively positioned it as a thinking person’s romantic comedy.
With a reported $20 million budget, “Materialists” marks A24’s third-strongest opening weekend, trailing only “Civil War” and “Hereditary.” The increasingly prominent studio continues to carve out a space for medium-budget, director-driven features amid a theatrical landscape often dominated by mega-franchises.
Mission: Possibly The End?
Paramount’s “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” landed in fourth place with $10.3 million, representing a 31% drop from the previous weekend. The film, which stars Tom Cruise in what may be his final outing as Ethan Hunt, has now accumulated $506 million worldwide against an eye-watering $400 million production budget.
While the film opened strong with a franchise-best $64 million during Memorial Day weekend, its subsequent performance has raised questions about whether it can reach the break-even point, generally considered to be around $1 billion given its enormous production and marketing costs.
Despite positive reviews (80% critics, 89% audience on Rotten Tomatoes) and Cruise’s demonstrated commitment to practical stunts—including a Guinness World Record for parachuting with a burning parachute—”The Final Reckoning” may end up as a financial disappointment for the studio while still delivering the spectacle audiences expect from the franchise.
Indie Spotlight: ‘The Life of Chuck’ Finds Its Audience
In a promising development for mid-tier releases, Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Stephen King’s “The Life of Chuck” cracked the top ten in its first weekend of wide release. Expanding to 1,072 theaters, the film earned $2.1 million for a respectable per-screen average of $2,000.
The film, which depicts the life of protagonist Chuck Krantz in reverse chronological order, had previously built momentum through limited engagements. Its performance amid heavyweight competition suggests there remains an audience for thoughtful, character-driven narratives in theaters, even as bigger spectacles dominate the conversation.
Box Office Trends and Overall Market Health
This Father’s Day weekend continues a positive trajectory for the 2025 box office, which has now reached $3.72 billion, representing a 23% increase over the same period last year. This recovery feels particularly significant given the challenges theaters have faced in recent years.
A notable trend emerging this year is the dominance of family-friendly PG-rated fare, which has generated $1.53 billion, accounting for 41% of the year’s earnings thus far. The success of films like “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Lilo & Stitch” underscores the continuing appeal of content that can draw multiple generations to theaters simultaneously.
Box office analyst David A. Gross has classified “How to Train Your Dragon” as a hybrid film—similar to the “Sonic the Hedgehog” franchise—that successfully fuses animation with live-action elements. This approach, when executed with respect for the source material, appears to be resonating with audiences seeking familiar stories told in fresh ways.
Looking Ahead: Summer Competition Intensifies
The coming weeks will see increased competition for audience attention, with Pixar’s “Elio” poised to challenge “How to Train Your Dragon” for family audiences. Additionally, the horror sequel “M3GAN 2.0” and the dinosaur adventure “Jurassic World Rebirth” will vie for their share of the summer box office.
Further on the horizon, superhero enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting new entries in the DC and Marvel universes, with early promotional materials for “Superman” and “Fantastic Four” already generating significant online discussion.
This packed release schedule suggests studio confidence in theatrical exhibition, even as streaming platforms continue to offer alternative viewing options. The diversity of offerings—from family films to horror to character-driven dramas—indicates that theaters may be finding a path forward by embracing a wide spectrum of content rather than relying solely on tentpole releases.
Conclusion: Dragons Lead a Healthy Box Office Ecosystem
The success of “How to Train Your Dragon” alongside the continued performance of “Lilo & Stitch” and the solid debuts of films like “Materialists” and “The Life of Chuck” suggest a theatrical ecosystem that can support various types of cinematic experiences. While big-budget spectacles will always command attention, the weekend’s results demonstrate that audiences remain willing to visit theaters for a range of storytelling approaches.
As summer 2025 continues, the industry will be watching to see if this momentum can be maintained, particularly as more tentpole releases enter an increasingly crowded marketplace. The promising year-over-year growth provides hope that theatrical exhibition is finding its footing in a post-pandemic entertainment landscape where options for consumer attention have never been more plentiful.
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