Lilo & Stitch

Lilo & Stitch (2025): Ohana Means Budget Cuts

Disney’s latest live-action remake, Lilo & Stitch, boldly reimagines the beloved 2002 animated classic by asking the question: “What if we took everything quirky and heartfelt about the original and filtered it through a committee of executives armed with CGI and nostalgia?”

In this version, Lilo is still a lonely Hawaiian girl, and Stitch is still a genetically engineered alien fugitive. But now, their heartwarming tale unfolds amidst hyper-realistic backdrops and characters that straddle the uncanny valley. The film attempts to capture the original’s charm while introducing deeper emotional layers, particularly in the relationship between sisters Lilo and Nani .

One notable change is the portrayal of the alien characters Jumba and Pleakley. Instead of their original alien forms with humorous disguises, the characters don more realistic “human skin suits” for part of the film to better suit the live-action medium and manage production budgets . This creative decision has sparked discussions among fans, especially regarding Pleakley’s character, who was cherished for his quirky humor and progressive representation in the original film .

Despite these changes, the film has generated significant buzz. The trailer amassed over 100 million views, and the Super Bowl spot featuring Stitch “crashing” the field received 173.1 million online views in 24 hours, making it Disney’s most viewed spot digitally .

I haven’t seen it, but based on the trailers and the online discourse, it seems like Disney has once again managed to stir both excitement and controversy with its latest remake.

Rating: 3 out of 5 intergalactic adoption papers