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Screen Geek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Screen Geek
'Lilo & Stitch' Live-Action Remake Faces Controversy
The 2025 live-action adaptation Lilo & Stitch is finally in theaters. While viewers seem to be enjoying the new film, there is some controversy in the way, specifically with the way Lilo & Stitch fans feel about the film's ending. There's absolutely difficulty in making these types of Disney adaptations. After all, some fans want to see the story they remember perfectly represented, while others hope for new changes and alterations to make a more modern interpretation. The ending of Lilo & Stitch aims for the latter, with a change that has fans in an uproar, and even the film's director, Dean Fleischer Camp, has been attempting to put out the fires on social media. Fortunately for Camp, some fans agree with his take, but it generally looks like a divisive conclusion for fans of the original film. Obvious spoilers ahead. Throughout Lilo & Stitch , fans will notice several major changes, including the absence of fan-favorite character Captain Gantu and the decision to split Agent Cobra Bubbles into two different roles. For the film's ending, however, that's where fans are apparently drawing a line. The end of the film has a major difference when compared with its animated counterpart. The original film ended with Lilo being fully cared for by her sister, Nani, and the support of her new family which includes David, Jumba, and Pleakley. This ties in with the film's meaning of 'Ohana,' which means 'family.' The phrase is also associated with the quote, 'Family means no one gets left behind.' What some fans find controversial about the new film's ending, however, is that it doesn't exactly play out the same way. Apparently Nani leaves Lilo to be taken care of by David and his grandmother so that she can pursue her dream of going to college in the American mainland. While she still visits Lilo and Stitch using Jumba's portal gun, it's an ending that some fans felt was disrespectful to the meaning of 'Ohana.' The film's director, however, insists that it merely expands the meaning of the word. Now he insists that Nani is able to keep her dreams from being left behind, something which some fans supported as you can see below: For anybody questioning the ending of our film, this beautiful piece by @lsirikul nails it — Dean Fleischer Camp (@DFLEISCHERCAMP) May 26, 2025 Thank you for sharing your stories with me ❤️ It seems like the people with actual lived experiences like this are the ones with whom this ending resonates the most. — Dean Fleischer Camp (@DFLEISCHERCAMP) May 26, 2025 Others, however, were less happy with this interpretation: Lilo and Stitch 2025 summarized: Ohana means family, unless you get to go to college to be a Marine Biologist, in which case, dump your family on the government and your neighbors. Disney hates you and your family too. — Fake Wizard (@RealLifeFakeWiz) May 23, 2025 How the fuck did the 'ohana means nothing' film outgross the 'ohana means family' film that were trying to adapt — ethanbrah 🇵🇸#FreePalestine (@SadieBy81859) May 25, 2025 — Comrade Sisko 🖖🏾✊🏿 (@Pinko69420) May 27, 2025 Obviously there are a variety of ways this ending could have been handled, whether by following the original film's conclusion more closely or merely allowing Nani to go to college in Hawaii. Either way, the film as a whole has been positively received, so it looks like Lilo & Stitch may succeed regardless of how people feel about the controversy of its ending. Lilo & Stitch is now playing in theaters. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates as we have them.
New York Post
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
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).
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Lilo & Stitch' Director Explains Why One Character Isn't In Live-Action Remake: 'Just Didn't Work'
With Lilo & Stitch's journey to live-action, at least one character didn't return from the original 2002 Disney animated film. Director Dean Fleischer Camp recently explained he had to 'free up real estate' in his new remake, now playing in theaters, which is why Captain Gantu of the Galactic Federation doesn't appear in his remake. More from Deadline 'Lilo & Stitch' Director Responds To Fans Over Live-Action Pleakley Not Wearing A Dress: 'I Tried' 'Lilo & Stitch' Live Action Cast Guide: Who Plays Who? 'Lilo & Stitch' Sews Up $56.3M In First 3 Days Overseas; 'Mission: Impossible - Final Reckoning' Outpacing 'M:I 7' - International Box Office 'Gantu was one of those things that just didn't work so well in live action,' he told Cinema Blend. 'We explored it a bit, but ultimately we had to make the decision.' Camp added, 'And also, I do stand by the decision, 'cause 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.' In Lilo & Stitch (2002), Kevin Michael Richardson voiced Captain Gantu, Stitch/Experiment 626's biggest rival who will stop at nothing to apprehend the escaped creature. Camp previously spoke to Deadline about what he could and couldn't include from the original. 'I think we were all coming from a place of real love for the original. It's always been my favorite Disney movie,' he explained. 'And so, I think there were a lot of those, and sometimes you have to let go and kill your darlings and it just doesn't work out for one reason or another. 'But I think the main things that we were really focused on, we got, and I'm proud that we nailed it. I think the character design of Stitch and his personality really coming through was one. I think that bringing back so much of the original Ohana that made the first one special like Chris Sanders and Tia Carrere [who voiced Nani in the 2002 film] and consulting with a lot of the original animation team were just super important to us and lucky enough that they worked out,' added Camp. Best of Deadline 'Poker Face' Season 2 Guest Stars: From Katie Holmes To Simon Hellberg Everything We Know About Amazon's 'Verity' Movie So Far Everything We Know About 'The Testaments,' Sequel Series To 'The Handmaid's Tale' So Far
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Disney facing Lilo & Stitch disaster as 'disgusting' change sees fans call for boycott
Disney fans have declared they're refusing to watch the ' woke ' live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch after it was revealed that a major character had been cut. The upcoming movie is set to hit theaters on May 23 - nearly 23 years after the beloved animated classic first captured the globe. However, excitement for the flick has turned to outrage after rumors that one main character from the original wouldn't feature in the latest version. According to multiple X accounts, Captain Gantu - the main antagonist in 2002 cartoon - is not going to appear in the live-action remake. It's unclear who will be replace him as the villain, but the news left fans all across the globe heartbroken. Social media was quickly flooded with posts from angry fans, many of whom claimed they were now boycotting the upcoming remake. 'Not watching then,' one person replied to a post that said: 'Captain Gantu will not appear in the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake.' 'Well, then I am no longer interested in watching it. Huge mistake to cut him from the movie,' agreed someone else. Another user added: 'Welp, It's gonna be garbage!' 'The movie is a huge "woke" flop,' scathed a fourth. A fifth tweeted: 'The woke re-writing of history is so disgusting…' read a fifth tweet. A sixth added: 'How do you cut the antagonist of the film? Who even is the villain? 'There wasn't even a point of remake the movie in the first place, but it's even more pointless now.' Bad publicity: The movie has faced a tonne of heat before it has even been released Not happy: Social media was quickly flooded with posts from angry fans The original Lilo & Stitch followed an alien monster experiment who accidentally ended up on Earth after escaping from his creator, Jumba. Fans were already upset over the news that character Pleakley won't dress like a woman in the live-action remake. Throughout their journey to try to get Stitch back, Jumba and Pleakley wear disguises in an attempt to try to look human and blend in with everyone around them - and in the original, Pleakley, who is male, opts to wear a dress and women's wig. But don't expect the alien to dress like a female in the new version. Director Dean Fleischer Camp confirmed the news in a TikTok video earlier this month, which sparked immense criticism. While chatting with Entertainment Weekly about it afterwards, Dean explained that Jumba and Pleakley, played by Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen respectively, don't put human clothes and wigs on at all in the live-action remake, so there actually wasn't a chance for Pleakley to dress up like a woman like he did in the animated flick. Instead, he explained that they use technology to morph themselves into humans. He added that he and his team did 'some tests and some character design work' to try to make Jumba and Pleakley look like they did in the original, but it just didn't work. Ultimately, he said they decided it was 'a bridge too far' and that it didn't translate well into live-action. 'The humor of them walking around Hawaii dressed in these terrible disguises where Pleakley still has one eyeball, it's a little harder to buy in live action,' he said. The director added that 'budgets' also played a part in the decision. 'If you have Jumba and Pleakley in alien disguises, then you're going to have to shortchange how much development work you can do on Stitch and these other elements,' he continued. 'It's not that they're aliens in the movie. You definitely see Jumba and Pleakley in their alien forms through a lot of the movie, but they are in human skin suits for part of it.'
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Disney fans threaten to BOYCOTT 'woke' 2025 remake of Lilo & Stitch after major character cut from the movie
Hoards of Disney fans have announced that they're refusing to watch the ' woke ' live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch after it was revealed that a major character had been cut. The upcoming movie is set to hit theaters on May 23 - nearly 23 years after the beloved animate classic captured the globe. However, excitement for the flick was turned to outrage after rumors started to circulate on the web that one main person from the original wouldn't be in the new version. According to multiple X (formerly Twitter) accounts, Captain Gantu - the main antagonist in 2002 cartoon - is not going to appear in the live-action remake. It's unclear who will be replace him as the villain, but the news left fans all across the globe heartbroken. Social media was quickly flooded with posts from angry fans, many of whom claimed they were now boycotting the upcoming remake. 'Not watching then,' one person replied to a post that said, 'Captain Gantu will not appear in the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake.' 'Well, then I am no longer interested in watching it. Huge mistake to cut him from the movie,' agreed someone else. Another user added, 'Welp, It's gonna be garbage!' 'The movie is a huge "woke" flop,' scathed a different person. 'The woke re-writing of history is so disgusting…' read a fifth tweet. A sixth said, 'How do you cut the antagonist of the film? Who even is the villain? 'There wasn't even a point of remake the movie in the first place, but it's even more pointless now.' 'You cannot be serious. He's a big part of the movie,' wrote another exasperated fan. 'WHAT! WHY?! He was a major character in the original and had important parts too. I don't understand why they decided not to have him appear in this one,' a different outraged user said. 'It's kind like if you remake The Wizard of Oz, but decided to not have Glinda to appear. It just doesn't work.' 'By far the worst decision,' announced someone else. Social media was quickly flooded with posts from angry fans amidst the news, many of whom claimed they were now boycotting the upcoming remake The original Lilo & Stitch followed an alien monster experiment who accidentally ended up on Earth after escaping from his creator, Jumba. Jumba, along with a fellow alien named Pleakley, headed to Earth to try to hunt him down, while a Hawaiian girl name Lilo adopted him believing that he's a dog. Stitch naturally caused mayhem for Lilo and her older sister, Nani, all while Jumba and Pleakley were always hilariously one step behind him. After Jumba and Pleakley failed with their task of getting Stitch back, Captain Gantu was sent to finish the job. He successfully captured Stitch but accidentally took Lilo too, leading to a dramatic ending that sees Stitch team up with Jumba and Pleakley to save his new family. Fans were previously upset over the news that Pleakley won't dress like a woman in the live-action remake. Throughout their journey to try to get Stitch back, Jumba and Pleakley wear disguises in an attempt to try to look human and blend in with everyone around them - and in the original, Pleakley, who is male, opts to wear a dress and women's wig. But don't expect the alien to dress like a female in the new version. Director Dean Fleischer Camp confirmed the news in a TikTok video earlier this month, which sparked immense backlash for the film. While chatting with Entertainment Weekly about it afterwards, Dean explained that Jumba and Pleakley, played by Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen respectively, don't put human clothes and wigs on at all in the live-action remake, so there actually wasn't a chance for Pleakley to dress up like a woman like he did in the animated flick. Instead, he explained that they use technology to morph themselves into humans. He added that he and his team did 'some tests and some character design work' to try to make Jumba and Pleakley look like they did in the original, but it just didn't work. Ultimately, he said they decided it was 'a bridge too far' and that it didn't translate well into live-action. 'The humor of them walking around Hawaii dressed in these terrible disguises where Pleakley still has one eyeball, it's a little harder to buy in live action,' he said. The director added that 'budgets' also played a part in the decision. 'If you have Jumba and Pleakley in alien disguises, then you're going to have to shortchange how much development work you can do on Stitch and these other elements,' he continued. 'It's not that they're aliens in the movie. You definitely see Jumba and Pleakley in their alien forms through a lot of the movie, but they are in human skin suits for part of it.'
