Disney's Live-Action Adaptation of Stitch Delivers Adorable Aggression
Enthusiasts of Disney's cult classic, Lilo & Stitch, are accustomed to the antics of a specific little blue extraterrestrial experiment: he's a disorderly, playful troublemaker, but he's moldable; by the wrap-up of the 2002 animated film, he's picked up lessons about family ties and the pleasure of Elvis tunes from Lilo, the little girl who saves him following his intergalactic escape, which stranded him in Hawaii. With the live-action rendition scheduled for release next year, it's reasonable to assume the updated Stitch will adhere to the same template—yet somehow, he's exponentially more adorable?
Take a gander at our recent glimpse of Stitch in action—this time directly within the movie's environment, rather than the previous promotional sneak peek—but be warned: the cuteness quotient could leave you overwhelmed!
Disney has its game plan set; you don't even need to imagine that stuffed replicas of "cuddly and cuddly" Stitch will soon be inundating store racks if they haven't already!
Stitch will be a CGI creation; hence, the title "live-action" may be a bit misleading—but human cast members are indeed included this time around. Among them, we have Maia Kealoha portraying the six-year-old Lilo; Sydney Agudong as her teenage sister and legal guardian Nani; Kaipo Dudoit as the sisters' surfer companion David; Tia Carrere, who voiced Nani in the original animated film, as the sympathetic Mrs. Kekoa; and Courtney B. Vance as social worker Cobra Bubbles.
As for the non-human roles, the original Lilo & Stitch co-writer and co-director Chris Sanders (The Wild Robot) returns to voice Stitch; Zach Galifianakis slips into the shoes of Stitch's mad scientist creator, Dr. Jumba Jookiba; and Billy Magnussen assumes the role of Agent Pleakley, an alien hot on the tail of an escaped Stitch on Earth.
Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell With Shoes On) and penned by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright, Lilo & Stitch is scheduled to hit theaters May 23, 2025.
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The anticipated live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch, set for release next year on io9's radar, features a revamped Stitch who manages to be even more adorable. A promotional video showcases Stitch in action within the movie's environment, with the potential to leave viewers overwhelmed by his cuteness.
Io9 enthusiasts may also be interested in knowing that Chris Sanders, the co-writer and co-director of the original Lilo & Stitch, returns to voice Stitch in the upcoming movie.
