Walt Disney Studios has released the first trailer for the live-action adaptation of “Lilo & Stitch.” Based on their animated hit of the same name, the reimagined film centers on its titular fugitive blue fluffy alien known as experiment 626 or Stich (voice of Chris Sanders who also directed the animated original) who finds himself on planet earth and gets adopted by Lilo (Maia Kealoha), a lonely young girl of a broken family. Together, they get into all sorts of trouble but also come to find out the true meaning of “Ohana.”
(L-R) Sydney Agudong as Nani, Maia Kealoha as Lilo and Stitch in Disney’s live-action LILO & STITCH. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2025 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The first trailer comes after Disney released a series of teasers of Stitch terrorizing a beach and various sporting events. They were all fun and games and not too far off the animated original’s marketing campaign where Stitch crashed moments in Disney animated films.
The film is directed by Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On), who uses a script written by screenplay by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes. While the reimagined film is expected to recreate some of our favorite scenes from the animated original – Stitch licking his glass enclosure, escapes in a red police cruiser, an operator saying Stitch took the red one, Lilo not perfectly in sync with her fellow dancers, believing she saw a shooting star when its actually Stitch crash landing, and Stitch embracing surfing and overcoming his fear of water – we can also expect a spin on a few things so that the live-action adaptation can distinguish itself from its animated counterpart. So much of the trailer itself relies on nostalgia, helping fans who watched the original get reacquainted with the spirit of the film through the lens of this live-action adaptation.
Chris Sanders, who directed the animated original, returns to voice the unforgettably energetic and mischievous Stitch. It’s honestly like the fuzzball never left him, even though Sanders has gone on to direct films like the Academy Award-nominated “The Wild Robot.” Also returning is Tia Carrere, who voiced Nani, Lilo’s older sister. However, it looks like the actress will be playing a new character. There are also some new creative spins on chracters like Earth expert Agent Pleakley, who will be taking a human form (played by Billy Magnussen). Magnussem will play opposite Zach Galifianakis, who will play Jumba, the mad scientist who created Stitch. The film also stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Hannah Waddingham, and Courtney B. Vance.
Lilo & Stitch opens May 23, 2025.
