Photo:Disney
Disney
Disney’s latest live-action remake is underway, and this one is on island time!Lilo & Stitch, the 2002 animated movie from Walt Disney Feature Animation, is the next fan-favorite film to get an adaptation that swaps its beloved cartoon characters with real-life counterparts.The Hollywood Reporterwas thefirst to revealthat the Hawaii-centric story’s live-action remake was in the works in February 2018, but very few details were confirmed at the time. Five years later, its leads have been announced.Lilo & Stitchis the latest Disney film to get the animation-to-live-action treatment, followingBeauty and the Beast,The Lion King,AladdinandMulan. Disney is also working on a live-action update ofBambi,The Little Mermaid,Peter Panand most recently,Moana.In August 2024, at D23,Disney unveiled the first lookof and release date for the live-actionLilo & Stitch.Alongside the first released photo of Stitch posted onInstagram, Disney wrote,“Experiment 626 has entered the chat! The live-action #LiloAndStitch is coming only to theaters in Summer 2025!“Here’s everything we know about the live-actionLilo & Stitchso far, including the stars cast in the titular roles.What will the live-actionLilo & Stitchbe about?DisneyAccording to an official film synopsis,Lilo and Stitch"tells a story of the bond formed between a lonely human girl named Lilo and a dog-like alien named Stitch, who was genetically engineered to be a force of destruction. With nosy social workers and pursuing aliens banging on the door, the two bond over a shared sense of family and win the day.“Is there a trailer forLilo & Stitch?Thefirst full-length trailerforLilo & Stitchdebuted in March 2025, sharing abigger look at Stitchin action — along with the rest of the cast, includingMaia Kealohaas Lilo.The trailer features the live-action versions of several classic scenes from the animated movie, like Lilo trying to convince Nani (Sydney Elizabeth Agudong) to let Stitch stay, along with some of Stitch’s most mischievous moments.Before the full trailer was released, thefirst teaserfor the movie arrived in November 2024.In theshort clip,Stitch can be seen on the beach, where he is stomping all over a sand castle made to look like the iconic Walt Disney Pictures logo.Who is in the live-actionLilo & Stitchcast?DisneyZach Galifianakiswas the first to join the cast in February 2023. Originally,The Wrap reportedthat he is voicing the character of Pleakley, but it was later confirmed that he will be playing Dr. Jumba Jookiba,Joining Galifianakis in the titular role of Lilo is Kealoha. The Hawaiian newcomer wasselected and announcedin March 2023 after the studio conducted a wide search for the actors to play Lilo and her older sister.Deadline compared Kealoha’s casting to that of Hawaii-born Auli’i Cravalho, saying it is “reminiscent” of the then-newcomer who was selected to voice the lead character from the fictional island of Motunui in 2016’sMoana.In May 2024, Kealoha told PEOPLE about her excitement for the role. “When I found out I was going to be Lilo,my jaw literally droppedand I couldn’t even believe it,” she said. “I rung my dad and I said, ‘I did it! I’m Lilo! I’m Lilo!’ And then they grabbed me and we jumped up and down.“Then, Agudong joined the cast as Nani, Lilo’s sister, while newcomer Kahiau Machado will be playing David Kawena, Nani’s love interest and Lilo’s friend,perTHR.Chris Sanders, the original voice of Stitch who also wrote the original feature alongside Dean DeBlois, has returned to voice the iconic character in the live action movie.Who is directing the live-actionLilo & Stitch?DisneyFamily-friendly director Dean Fleischer Camp, the filmmaker behind indie darlingMarcel the Shell With Shoes On, hasbeen nabbed to helmthe project while Hawaii native Chris Kekaniokalani Bright wrote the script.When will the live-actionLilo & Stitchbe released?DisneyWhen Disney gave fans a first look at live-actionLilo & Stitchin August 2024, they also announced fans could expect the movie in summer 2025.An exact release date was shared three months later at the end of the first teaser, which revealed that the movie will make its theatrical premiere on May 23, 2025.
Disney’s latest live-action remake is underway, and this one is on island time!
Lilo & Stitch, the 2002 animated movie from Walt Disney Feature Animation, is the next fan-favorite film to get an adaptation that swaps its beloved cartoon characters with real-life counterparts.
The Hollywood Reporterwas thefirst to revealthat the Hawaii-centric story’s live-action remake was in the works in February 2018, but very few details were confirmed at the time. Five years later, its leads have been announced.
Lilo & Stitchis the latest Disney film to get the animation-to-live-action treatment, followingBeauty and the Beast,The Lion King,AladdinandMulan. Disney is also working on a live-action update ofBambi,The Little Mermaid,Peter Panand most recently,Moana.
In August 2024, at D23,Disney unveiled the first lookof and release date for the live-actionLilo & Stitch.Alongside the first released photo of Stitch posted onInstagram, Disney wrote,“Experiment 626 has entered the chat! The live-action #LiloAndStitch is coming only to theaters in Summer 2025!”
Here’s everything we know about the live-actionLilo & Stitchso far, including the stars cast in the titular roles.
What will the live-actionLilo & Stitchbe about?
According to an official film synopsis,Lilo and Stitch"tells a story of the bond formed between a lonely human girl named Lilo and a dog-like alien named Stitch, who was genetically engineered to be a force of destruction. With nosy social workers and pursuing aliens banging on the door, the two bond over a shared sense of family and win the day.”
Is there a trailer forLilo & Stitch?
Thefirst full-length trailerforLilo & Stitchdebuted in March 2025, sharing abigger look at Stitchin action — along with the rest of the cast, includingMaia Kealohaas Lilo.
The trailer features the live-action versions of several classic scenes from the animated movie, like Lilo trying to convince Nani (Sydney Elizabeth Agudong) to let Stitch stay, along with some of Stitch’s most mischievous moments.
Before the full trailer was released, thefirst teaserfor the movie arrived in November 2024.
In theshort clip,Stitch can be seen on the beach, where he is stomping all over a sand castle made to look like the iconic Walt Disney Pictures logo.
Who is in the live-actionLilo & Stitchcast?
Zach Galifianakiswas the first to join the cast in February 2023. Originally,The Wrap reportedthat he is voicing the character of Pleakley, but it was later confirmed that he will be playing Dr. Jumba Jookiba,
Joining Galifianakis in the titular role of Lilo is Kealoha. The Hawaiian newcomer wasselected and announcedin March 2023 after the studio conducted a wide search for the actors to play Lilo and her older sister.
Deadline compared Kealoha’s casting to that of Hawaii-born Auli’i Cravalho, saying it is “reminiscent” of the then-newcomer who was selected to voice the lead character from the fictional island of Motunui in 2016’sMoana.
In May 2024, Kealoha told PEOPLE about her excitement for the role. “When I found out I was going to be Lilo,my jaw literally droppedand I couldn’t even believe it,” she said. “I rung my dad and I said, ‘I did it! I’m Lilo! I’m Lilo!’ And then they grabbed me and we jumped up and down.”
Then, Agudong joined the cast as Nani, Lilo’s sister, while newcomer Kahiau Machado will be playing David Kawena, Nani’s love interest and Lilo’s friend,perTHR.
Chris Sanders, the original voice of Stitch who also wrote the original feature alongside Dean DeBlois, has returned to voice the iconic character in the live action movie.
Who is directing the live-actionLilo & Stitch?
Family-friendly director Dean Fleischer Camp, the filmmaker behind indie darlingMarcel the Shell With Shoes On, hasbeen nabbed to helmthe project while Hawaii native Chris Kekaniokalani Bright wrote the script.
When will the live-actionLilo & Stitchbe released?
When Disney gave fans a first look at live-actionLilo & Stitchin August 2024, they also announced fans could expect the movie in summer 2025.
An exact release date was shared three months later at the end of the first teaser, which revealed that the movie will make its theatrical premiere on May 23, 2025.
Skyler Caruso
source: people.com
