‘Live-Action’ Stitch Revealed in First Look at Disney’s Remake
A few things I learned during a recent visit to Kauai, Hawaii: The island was never conquered by King Kamehameha during his attempt to unite the islands; there are more chickens than you could ever imagine, anywhere; and Stitch from Lilo and Stitch is practically a state-sanctioned mascot. Disney’s little alien pops up everywhere from gift shops to shave-ice stands, a testament not only to the creature’s indelible design, but also to the film’s depiction of Kauai life. Lilo and Stitch is amazing! Dare I say, Disney’s most Ghibli-esque film?
Naturally, Disney is giving the 2002 film the live-action remake treatment. The film was first announced in 2018 and went through a number of directors and cast members as it got closer to reality, with Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On) rolling cameras last year. Friday night at Disney’s big D23 Expo, the studio finally unveiled a first look at the highly anticipated project, which was set to go straight to Disney Plus but will now hit theaters next summer. The stakes are high (just ask the folks on Kauai).
Not everyone is enamored with the idea of a remake. During a 2020 talk at the Annecy International Animation Festival, Lilo and Stitch Co-director Dean DeBlois admitted he didn’t quite understand the point of remaking something so deeply rooted in the vision of his co-director, Chris Sanders.
“Lilo & Lurch “It was so idiosyncratic, such a unique voice. It was Chris’ sensibility brought to life in such a personal way. It started as a children’s book[that he was working on],” DeBlois explained during the panel. “It’s so specific, that the idea that another team would remake it without Chris being involved — without anyone on the team being involved — is kind of crazy. It’s not a tried and true classic. It’s not a fairy tale. It’s not a fixed piece of folklore. It’s as individual as it can be.”
The good news is that Fleischer Camp is a legitimate filmmaker, and the core of the original Lilo and Stitch could be enough to shine through once more when it’s turned into live-action. We’ll know more next summer — and thankfully, on a big screen.