I think I’ve finally gotten to the root of Disney’s obsession with live-action remakes. The problem stems from an integral component with any relationship — even relationships when money and entertainment are involved: the element of trust.
It’s clear that Disney doesn’t trust audiences to keep their legacy titles alive. My theory dates back to Walt Disney’s tradition of giving theatrical re-releases to some of their most popular films prior to the VHS era. The advent of the Disney Channel even made the classics more visible, such as when a film would run after a highly anticipated episode of Hannah Montana or That’s So Raven.
Perhaps the phenomenon of streaming complicated this further. Even with Disney+, beloved titles have to fight to be chosen over Bluey. The executives have seemingly decided the only way to keep their legacy intellectual properties alive with newer generations is to turn them into live-action remakes. Never mind that no one asked for them.
The latest film to get the live-action treatment is a favorite of mine, Lilo & Stitch. Unlike Snow White, I came into my viewing experience with a soft spot for the original film from 2002, as it was an essential assist to long childhood car rides. In fact, the group chat where my family keeps in touch with my god-niece is named “Ohana,” which further negates the idea that Disney legacy is lost on younger audiences. But Disney knowing that would require them to actually be in touch with their audience.
Lilo & Stitch hits the main beats of the original film. Nani Pelekai (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong) is struggling to make ends meet as the guardian of her 6-year-old sister Lilo (Maia Kealoha) after their parents died. Nani tries to balance the relationship between guardian and sister, as she’s also working to appease their social worker, Ms. Kekoa (Tia Carrere), so they aren’t split up, with Lilo put into a foster home by social services.
As Nani grapples with being the perfect guardian and placing her dreams of being a marine biologist on the back burner, Lilo struggles with loneliness. Lilo’s longing for a best friend seems to be answered when, while volunteering at the animal shelter, she notices a peculiar looking dog, which turns out to be Experiment 626, also known as Stitch (voiced by Chris Sanders, who also co-directed the original), an alien masquerading as a canine.
Stitch is on the run from his creator, Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zach Galifianakis), who has recently been imprisoned by the United Galactic Federation for creating Stitch as a biological weapon. Jumba is paired with Earth expert Agent Pleakley (Billy Magnussen), whose mission is to retrieve Stitch from Earth and return him to the Federation.
As Lilo and Stitch grow closer, their bond is threatened not only by Kekoa, Jumba, and Pleakely, but by Agent Cobra Bubbles (Courtney B. Vance) from the CIA, who poses as a social worker with intentions to gain intel on Stitch.
The movie still infuses the themes of family that the original harked upon. I’m not totally anti-live-action — in fact I think some films like Alvin and the Chipmunks actually did a really nice job bringing a beloved property to screen and inviting new audiences to the franchise. However, this Lilo & Sitch lacks the charm — and dare I say wit — of its hand-animated predecessor.
My biggest disappointment was the erasure of Pleakely’s disguises. In the original, so-called Earth expert Pleakely’s lack of knowledge about Earth cultures is part of the joke. The live-action incarnation does away Pleakely’s unbelievable disguises and instead he and Jumba take the form of humans when on Earth. While the film pays a light homage to some of the memorable bad costuming, it takes away from what made the original film unique and ingenious.
Other important elements are still there, such as Lilo’s affinity for Elvis and turning Stitch into a record player to show his usefulness. Adding more layers to the characters seems to be meant to fill the running time left open when the filmmakers removed some of the more fantastical and whimsical elements that animation offers. After all, what works in animation doesn’t always work in live action, and vice versa.
I think the movie is fine, especially for a child who has never seen the original, superior Lilo & Stitch, but with that assessment comes a bit of disappointment, as some people won’t grow up with the same Lilo, Stitch, Nani (and Pleakely!) that made the franchise a mainstay for so many.
But this could’ve been a part of Disney’s plan all along. After watching the 2025 version I was inspired to rewatch the 2002 version the next day. I now have a more profound understanding of the movie — so much so that I had to wonder if this was the same story I loved as a child, or if I am now able to comprehend it better as an adult.
Lilo & Stitch (2025)
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