Lilo & Stitch Live-Action Remake First Look Released by Disney

During this year’s D23 showcase, Disney shared looks at several upcoming projects, including the highly-anticipated Lilo and Stitch live-action film. The film was originally greenlit in 2018 but after a worldwide pandemic in 2020 and the writers and actors’ strikes putting a halt on the project, the beloved characters Lilo, Stitch, Lilo’s older sister and legal guardian Nani, David, Pleakley and Jumba Jookiba are finally returning to the big screen.

There have been several other hurdles that have gotten in the way, including with the cast itself. Disney cast Sydney Agudong as Nani but were accused of colorism for casting someone lighter than Nani who is depicted with much darker skin in the animated adaptions. Kahiau Machado was slated to play David but when the use of racial slurs was uncovered on his social media accounts the role was recast with Kaipot Dudoit taking on the role of Nani’s love interest instead. 

In 2002 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures released the sweet comedy film based on the life of a young native Hawaiian girl Lilo. She adopts what she believes is a “dog,” but later finds out that Stitch is actually a genetic experiment who escaped from a neighboring alien planet and has been in hiding after crash-landing on Earth. The two become inseparable and go on many adventures together later cataloged in the hit Disney Channel animated series Lilo & Stitch. The film made over $200 million at the box office and produced two seasons at Disney which ran from 2003 until 2005 averaging 30 episodes a season. Although it’s been over 20 years since its release it remains an important figurehead of pop culture as it has amassed several generations of fans.

Several voice actors from the original projects will return in some capacity for the live-action, including Chris Sanders who voiced Stitch. Tia Carrere (Nani in the first film) will portray Mrs. Kekoa and Amy Hill (Mrs. Hasagawa) who will play Tūtū, both new characters to the franchise. As for who will step into the shoes of Lilo, that role belongs to eight-year-old newcomer Maia Kealoha who will make her acting debut in the live-action. The film is directed by Dean Fleischer Camp from a script penned by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright, Dean DeBlois and original creator Sanders.

Stay tuned to ComicBook for news and updates on the live-action Lilo & Stitch film but until then both the animated film and series are available to stream on Disney+.