Disney released the first official trailer for the much-talked-about live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch on Wednesday, March 12 , a look at the new version of the beloved 2002 animated story.
The film, directed by Dean Fleischer Camp (“Marcel the Shell With Shoes On”), is set to hit theaters on May 23, 2025.
The clip reintroduces viewers to the island of Kauai, where little Lilo, played by Maia Kealoha, dreams of finding someone to spend time with.
In a touching moment, she is seen looking up at the sky and saying, “I wish for a friend. A best friend.”
Soon after, that plea seems to come true when a mysterious blue being appears in her life: Stitch, an alien experiment designed for destruction.
As in the animated version, the relationship between Lilo and Stitch is built on the Hawaiian concept of "ohana," which means family. "Sometimes family isn't perfect. But that doesn't mean it's not good," Lilo says in the trailer, reaffirming one of the story's central messages.
However, Stitch quickly reveals his chaotic nature. In the sneak peek, he's seen wreaking havoc on the island: crashing a golf cart, throwing a CD at a moving car, and destroying a sandcastle.
The trailer's soundtrack reinforces its mischievous nature with songs like Elvis Presley's "You're the Devil in Disguise" and "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride."
Maia Kealoha, a seven-year-old Hawaiian actress, makes her film debut as Lilo, having been chosen after an extensive audition process.
“When I found out I was going to be Lilo, my jaw dropped. I couldn’t believe it,” Kealoha told People. “I called my dad and said, ‘I did it, I did it! I’m Lilo!’”
Sydney Agudong plays Nani, Lilo's older sister and guardian, while Kaipo Dudoit plays David, Nani's close friend. Courtney B. Vance plays the stern but understanding social worker Cobra Bubbles.
As for the alien characters, Chris Sanders returns to voice Stitch, just as he did in the original animated film. Zach Galifianakis plays the eccentric Dr. Jumba Jookiba, Billy Magnussen is the edgy Agent Pleakley, and Hannah Waddingham voices the Grand Councilor of the Galactic Federation.
Additionally, Aunt Carrere, who voiced Nani in the animated version, returns in a new role as social worker Mrs. Kekoa, while Amy Hill (who played Mrs. Hasagawa in the original) also joins the cast in the role of a new character named Tūtū.
The biggest challenge
One of the biggest challenges of the production has been recreating Stitch in CGI. Unlike the animated characters in other Disney adaptations, such as the Seven Dwarfs in Snow White, the live-action version of Stitch appears to remain faithful to his original design.
Since his first appearance at the D23 Expo, the digital Stitch has generated positive reviews for his appearance. The recreation adds points considering it retains his original voice actor.
For the young protagonist, acting alongside a computer-generated Stitch represented a fun challenge that made her train her “imagination.”
Disney has been betting heavily on live-action adaptations of its animated classics. In recent years, it has brought remakes of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, Mulan , and The Little Mermaid to mixed reviews from critics and the box office. Lilo & Stitch is next on the list, followed by Snow White in March 2025 and Moana in 2026.
Source: Infobae
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March 7, 2025 - 1:41 pm 
