Disney has just released the first full trailer for their live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch, and and let me say, I might just be pretty excited for this one.
The trailer gives us a closer look at how they’re bringing this beloved classic to life. It starts with Stitch, a chaotic blue alien experiment, causing trouble as he crash-lands on Earth. Then we see Lilo, a young Hawaiian girl, adopting him at an animal shelter, thinking he’s a dog.
We get to see Stitch in all his CGI glory, wreaking havoc across Hawaii. He’s honking at cars, destroying sandcastles, and generally being the troublemaker we all love.
There’s definitely plenty of heart, with Lilo reminding us that “Sometimes, family isn’t perfect. That doesn’t mean they aren’t good.” I’m not crying, you are!!
See for yourself here:
What’s the storyline of the Lilo & Stitch live-action?
The live-action remake seems to be sticking close to the original story about Lilo, a young orphan living with her teenage sister Nani who bonds with this adorbs lil’ alien called Stitch as they learn about family and friendship.
The remake promises to delve deeper into Hawaiian culture and modern themes, such as Nani’s struggles as a guardian. And thank God, because I feel like as a society we moved on too quickly from the fact that Nani was meant to be 18 or 19-years-old in the OG movie taking care of a whole human child.
Who’s cast in the Lilo & Stitch live-action movie?
The cast includes newcomer Maia Kealoha as Lilo, Sydney Agudong as Nani, and Chris Sanders reprising his role as the voice of Stitch. Zach Galifianakis, Billy Magnussen, and Courtney B. Vance are also joining the cast. Dean Fleischer Camp, known for ‘Marcel the Shell With Shoes On’, is directing the film.
What do people actually think?
Look, we know live actions are often a hit or a miss, but the internet isn’t completely trashing this one. Some folks are even cautiously optimistic. One user on X said, “Damn, the animation looks decent, they have Hawaiian people playing Hawaiians, did someone at Disney decide THIS is the movie they aren’t going to lose money on or something?”
But let’s not get too excited. Another user pointed out, “It’s funny to me how ‘live action’ now means ‘mostly cgi’.” Fair point, calling this all the completely live-action is in fact generous.
Despite mixed feelings about Disney’s recent ventures into CGI land (I’m looking at you Mufasa), the overall response to this trailer has been surprisingly positive, with many praising the film’s nostalgic feel and the chemistry between Lilo and Stitch. So, maybe this one won’t be a total disaster
When does the movie come out?
Mark your calendars, folks. Lilo & Stitch is hitting cinemas on May 23 2025. It’s the second Disney live-action remake of the year, following Snow White in March. Here’s hoping it doesn’t go the way of some of Disney’s other recent remakes. Fingers crossed!
Lead image: Disney / YouTube / X
