Disney’s live-action reimagining of the beloved animated film, Lilo & Stitch, honors the original, while refreshing the story for a new generation. It manages to find that tricky balance between nostalgia and new, telling a story that is strongly reminiscent of the 2002 classic, while finding its own voice.
Led by now 8-year-old Maia Kealoha in her acting debut, Lilo & Stitch boasts a delightful cast, including several voice actors from the first film, and a CGI Stitch that truly brings the story to life. The result is a heartwarming and hilarious film that families and fans of all ages will enjoy.
Lilo & Stitch releases May 23, 2025 in theaters.
Official Synopsis
“Lilo & Stitch,” the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family. A live-action reimagining of Disney’s 2002 animated classic, “Lilo & Stitch” is directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, the Oscar®-nominated filmmaker behind the animated feature film “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” with a screenplay by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes, and stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, with Courtney B. Vance, and Zach Galifianakis, and introducing Maia Kealoha. The film is produced by Jonathan Eirich, p.g.a. and Dan Lin, with Tom Peitzman, Ryan Halprin, Louie Provost, and Thomas Schumacher serving as executive producers.
Review – A Classic Brought to Life for New Audiences
Disney’s live action remakes of its animated classics have had mixed results. Some have been massive box office successes (The Lion King), and some have been more regrettable (Pinocchio). It’s always tricky to re-envision a classic film, especially for the passionate Disney audience that maintains a strong connection to the studio’s history. There is also the unique challenge of adapting a story and characters from one format (animation) to another (live-action). Supporters of animation often push back against the general mentality in the U.S. that animated films are for children, and not considered serious storytelling. For all of these reasons, and more, when a studio seeks to make an animated story into a live-action one, the endeavor is typically met with a presumption of skepticism and negativity. The question is often, “Why is this film necessary?” It’s a question that has limited utility in that “necessary” isn’t the only barometer for art, but it can provide some basis for evaluation.
Disney’s Lilo & Stitch is a reimagining of the animated film that earns its place beside the original with humor, heart and its trademark badness. It shows that an animated story can be renewed in a different format that feels fresh and unique without in anyway undermining the source material. The live-action film does not, and need not, replace the animated version. Instead, it offers a new lens through which this heartwarming story can be experienced.
Lilo & Stitch is not a shot for shot retelling of the original story. Instead, director Dean Fleischer Camp, who previously directed Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, has crafted a tale inspired by the first film, but with its own unique voice and some necessary changes.
Native Hawaiian Maia Kealoha brings the character of Lilo to life with joyous enthusiasm that perfectly captures the essence of the character. For a film where many of the scenes involve just her and a stand-in for what will eventually become CGI Stitch, Kealoha is able to carry the story like a veteran actor well beyond her years. Kealoha’s Lilo is adorable, precocious, and rambunctious, and what’s truly impressive is that Kealoha is able to properly shift with the emotional tones of the film. Whether she is mischievously playing with Stitch, telling Cobra Bubbles (Courtney B. Vance) that she can read him like a book, or sadly cuddling up next to Nani (Sydney Agudong), Kealoha takes you on an emotional journey that always feels genuine and honest.
Like its animated counterpart, the relationship between Lilo and Nani is crucial to the story. Sydney Agudong is engaging and relatable as Lilo’s older sister and caregiver. Agudong perfectly exhibits the loving and responsible nature of Nani, who is also barely holding back the inevitable sense of being overwhelmed that any teen caregiver would have. Agudong’s Nani is strong but vulnerable, and you can’t help but want to find a way to save her.
It’s worth noting that Agudong’s casting has drawn some criticism from fans, especially Native Hawaiians. In the animated film, the character of Nani is Native Hawaiian with a darker complexion. Agudong was born and raised on Kauaʻi, but is of Caucasian and Filipino descent.
As important as the actors and relationships are, equally critical to the film’s success is the execution of CGI Stitch, a character who is one of the most popular and beloved in all of Disney. If there is a singular reason to do a live-action Lilo & Stitch film, it’s to bring Stitch to life. Of course, failing to execute a realistic Stitch would cripple any adaptation effort. A CGI character of that importance requires a variety of talents to come together, and Stitch is the culmination of Chris Sanders’ voice, Dean Fleischer Camp’s direction, and the talents of puppeteer Seth Hays of Legacy Effects and Industrial Light & Magic.
Led by visual effects supervisor Craig Hammack, the Industrial Light & Magic team created a live-action Stitch that is nearly perfect. The tactile feel, with seemingly soft blue fur, adorably long and emotive ears, and countless mischievous facial expressions, make Stitch more real than ever before. Hays, who has 16 years of industry experience and worked as a puppeteer for Grogu on the Star Wars series The Mandalorian, played an essential role in making Stitch’s presence felt on set, especially for Kealoha to play off of. Stitch is also voiced by Chris Sanders, who originally created the character of Stitch, co-wrote and co-directed the original film, and also voiced the character in that film.
In addition to Sanders, other returning voice actors from the animated feature include Tia Carrere, Amy Hill, and Jason Scott Lee. The connective tissue between the two films adds a hint of nostalgia that is welcome but thankfully not overly relied on. Meanwhile, two new cast members are Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen, as the aliens Jumba and Pleakley. The pair add a substantially enhanced level of humor, including physical comedy. Rounding out the main cast is Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles, who plays the role previously voiced by Ving Rhames with a bit more warmth.
Among the notable omissions from the original is the character of Captain Gantu, the shark-like villain. The character was cut out from the live-action version, with his villainous role largely given to Jumba. The change will likely be met with disappointment from fans of the animated film, but those without a nostalgic attachment won’t notice.
The decision to cut Gantu makes sense when considering the film’s runtime, which is 23 minutes longer than the original and feels like it. As fun as the mischief and hijinks are, the animated film’s 1 hours and 25 minute runtime was perfect for a film focused on younger audiences.
With any classic film, fans who have a strong attachment to the original may have a hard time accepting the new format, adjusted characterizations and changes to the plot. For some fans, there is no adaptation that can do the original justice. However, for others, Lilo & Stitch is a reimagining that will appeal to broader audiences, young and old.
Rating – 4.5/5 Pocky
Ron is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of POC Culture. He is a big believer in the power and impact of pop culture and the importance of representation in media.
