'Lilo & Stitch' returns: Will the remake be well received?

Yahoo

20-05-2025

It hasn't always been easy for Disney when the mega Hollywood studio brings back an old classic as a remake to the big screen.
Take "Snow White," for example. Controversies overshadowed the adaptation of the animated film for months before its actual cinema release.
With "Lilo & Stitch," however, the situation is practically the opposite. First reactions to the revamped story about the little girl Lilo and the dog-like alien Stitch have so far been positive ahead of its cinema release this week.
"Pure goosebumps," wrote one fan on social media after seeing the trailer for the live-action adaptation. "Don't mess this up," wrote another. So does it live up to expectations?
Director Dean Fleischer Camp has indeed succeeded in creating an original adaptation of the 2002 animated film, which largely sticks to the original story. Unlike the Oscar-nominated original, this time "Lilo & Stitch" features real actors.
To start from the beginning: Stitch, a blue, fluffy alien, that loosely resembles as dog, is the result of a failed genetic experiment by a mad alien scientist in another galaxy. He's extremely strong, intelligent and destructive - and is set to be banished.
While on the run, Stitch crashes on Earth and meets Lilo (Maia Kealoha). The Hawaiian girl lives alone with her older sister Nani (Sydney Agudong) and, as an outsider, finds a best friend in the chaos-loving alien.
Stitch's arrival on Earth causes all sorts of turbulence. The CIA, as well as the alien scientist ("Hangover" star Zach Galifianakis) and an alien agent (Billy Magnussen), are searching for the "monster."
A story about the importance of family
It quickly becomes clear that there is more to Stitch than just a destructive streak. Over the course of the film, he shows emotions and his good side. From start to finish, "Lilo & Stitch" is a film about the importance of family and, in many places - despite the admittedly somewhat cheesy story - deeply moving.
After the death of their parents, Lilo and Nani must learn to come together as a family again. However, Nani struggles with raising her mischievous sister, has many unpaid bills, an empty fridge and faces problems with social services. The situation escalates when she loses her job because of Stitch.
Nevertheless, it is precisely this different sort of dog who brings the sisters closer together. As in the animated original, the message is: "Ohana" - the Hawaiian word for family.
"Family means that no one gets left behind."
Some details have changed when compared to the original, but overall the remake stays close to the first film. For example, Lilo is still a big Elvis fan. But other things are different. The mean alien Captain Gantu, who in the original was supposed to capture Stitch later in the story, does not play a role this time.
Instead, the focus is more on the hunt by the scientist and the agent. The two take on human disguises on Earth, whereas in the animated version, they only used wigs and other clothing as camouflage. This leads to some entertaining moments - for example, when the duo, after their transformation, struggle to walk upright on two legs like humans.
The 2002 'Lilo&Stitch' film was an Oscar nominee
Changes in Disney remakes are not always well received. Many fans were unimpressed by the modern adaptation of "Snow White." Will the new version of "Lilo & Stitch" ultimately have better chances and live up to the success of its 23-year-old predecessor?
The 2002 first version by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders grossed $273 million worldwide on a budget of $80 million, according to industry magazine Variety - and it was also nominated for an Oscar in the Best Animated Feature category. Sequels and series followed. The bar is therefore (once again) high.