Disney under fire for cutting this character from ‘Lilo & Stitch' live-action remake: ‘No excuses'
Oh, Blitznak!
Disney fans are outraged that one key character from the original 'Lilo & Stitch' film was cut from this year's live-action remake.
Captain Gantu, the villain of the 2002 animated flick, was noticeably absent from the new version that hit theaters on Friday, May 23.
9 A shot of Stitch in Disney's new 'Lilo & Stitch' live-action remake.
©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection
9 Captain Gantu in the original 2002 'Lilo & Stitch' animated movie.
Disney+
Director Dean Fleischer Camp explained that while he tried to include the infamous Captain of the Galactic Federation, it 'just didn't work so well in live action.'
'Gantu was one of those things that just didn't work so well in live action,' Camp, 41, told Cinema Blend ahead of the remake's release last week. 'We explored it a bit, but ultimately we had to make the decision.
'And also, I do stand by the decision,' he continued, 'because I feel like a lot of the things that, in trying to ground these characters more and tell a story with a little more emotional depth, especially between the sisters, I feel like you have to free up real estate to allow that breathing room to do those things.'
9 'Lilo & Stitch' (2025) director Dean Fleischer Camp at the film's premiere on May 17 in Los Angeles.
FilmMagic
9 Captain Gantu was the main villain in the original 2002 'Lilo & Stitch' movie.
Disney+
But not every fan of the beloved franchise agreed with Camp's explanation, and several took to social media to blast Disney and their latest live-action remake.
'That doesn't make any sense because if you can bring Stitch and the rest of the aliens from the animated version to live-action form, BUT also stay true to their designs, then why not Captain Gantu?' one person asked on X. 'I think he would have looked COOL in live-action.'
'Didn't work well in live action? You made an entire armada of aliens, and had Stitch the main character in a world with real people,' another critic tweeted. 'No excuses!'
9 Stitch, Nani and Lilo in the original 'Lilo & Stitch.'
©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection
9 Nani, Lilo and Stitch in the 2025 live-action remake of 'Lilo & Stitch.'
©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection
'He only needed maybe 5 minutes of screen time,' added a third. 'This is budget bulls–t talk.'
However, other viewers defended the remake and Captain Gantu's exclusion.
'Watched the movie last night. Not having Gantu didn't take away from the story or plot at all,' wrote one 'Lilo & Stitch' fan. 'Jumba has a slightly altered character arc, which can make sense. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.'
9 'Gantu was one of those things that just didn't work so well in live action,' Camp explained. 'We explored it a bit, but ultimately we had to make the decision.'
FilmMagic
'The movie was great,' wrote another, 'if y'all wanted to see an exact copy of the cartoon, then stay at home and watch your DVD.'
Meanwhile, this wouldn't be the first time fans were up in arms over a huge change from the original 'Lilo & Stitch' movie and its live-action remake.
Earlier this month, during a Q&A with fans on TikTok, Camp revealed that another of the film's main antagonists, Pleakley, would not sport a dress and wig disguise to hunt down Stitch in Hawaii like in the 2002 flick.
9 'Lilo & Stitch' (2025) hit theaters on Friday, May 23.
AFP via Getty Images
Instead, Pleakley and his partner, Dr. Jumba Jookiba, are disguised as male tourists in the remake.
'I have had people message me, 'Why is Pleakley not wearing a dress?'' Camp admitted. 'And I just want to say, I tried… I tried.'
The decision to cut Captain Gantu from the new 'Lilo & Stitch' movie came after Disney suffered similar backlash for changes made between the original 'Snow White' and its live-action remake released in March.
9 Maia Kealoha (Lilo), Chris Sanders (Stitch) and Sydney Agudong (Nani) in the new 'Lilo & Stitch.'
©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection
Rather than cast actors to play the film's seven dwarfs, Disney opted to use CGI to portray the characters.
The movie went on to bomb at the box office.
'Lilo & Stitch' was released Memorial Day weekend and stars Maia Kealoha (Lilo), Chris Sanders (Stitch), Sydney Agudong (Nani), Billy Magnussen (Pleakley) and Zach Galifianakis (Jumba).
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