Lilo & Stitch trailer actually manages to make a Disney live-action remake look cute

Newcomer Maia Kealoha plays a sweet real-life Lilo to original voice actor Chris Sanders' CGI alien.

By Emma Keates  |  March 12, 2025 | 1:26pm
Photo: Disney
Film News Lilo & Stitch
Lilo & Stitch trailer actually manages to make a Disney live-action remake look cute
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Does a Disney remake actually look kind of… entertaining? The Mouse House just released the first full-length trailer for Lilo & Stitch, its umpteenth “live-action” cash grab, once again stretching the definition of the label “live-action.” Someone make that little blue gremlin real, damn it! But like Lilo to her beloved pet, this writer is sort of softening to the concept, despite full knowledge of its nefarious origins. Stitch is just so cute! Of course, he’s completely unnecessary and looks exactly like he did in the original 2002 animated film, but it worked then and it still works now. 

The only real new ingredient here is newcomer Maia Kealoha, who perfectly captures the original Lilo’s wide-eyed optimism and mischievous, undying love for her extraterrestrial companion. Other human stars include Courtney B. Vance, Hannah Waddingham, Zach Galifianakis, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, and Tia Carrere, although some of those humans have been transformed into CGI aliens as well.

Otherwise, everything is pretty much the same. Original voice actor Chris Sanders returns as the voice of Stitch, and the clip makes the expected nostalgia play of queuing up underrated Disney banger, “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride.” It’s all very light and breezy, made more so by the impending release of Disney’s Rachel Zegler-led Snow White remake, which so far has been anything but. It might be nice if these blatant attempts to milk once-beloved IP for all its worth didn’t happen at all, but that ship sailed a long time ago (and picked up some execs from Universal on its voyage). If we have to grin and bear it, it’s nice to at least have a fluffy friend by our side.

 
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