“Ohana means family.” You’re going to be saying that on repeat when the live-action Lilo & Stitch comes to theaters as part of the 2025 movie release schedule.
When it comes to movies from my childhood that have shaped who I am as a person, I always think of Disney movies. Whether they be from the Disney Renaissance or from the 2000s Disney movies, truly, they have been key factors involved in making me who I am today and mean so much to me in my heart. And one of those movies just happens to be Lilo & Stitch.
The movie has only gotten more popular over time, and now Lilo & Stitch is going to be getting its own live-action movie. But who is going to star in the new Lilo & Stitch movie? And when is it coming out?
Here is what we know so far about the upcoming live-action adaptation of Lilo and Stitch.
What Is The Lilo & Stitch Live-Action Movie Release Date?
At the time of updating this in October 2024, we officially know that the live-action Lilo and Stitch will release on May 23, 2025, according to Disney, and we know that it’ll be releasing in theaters.
In an article from People in June 2024, they reported down at the bottom that the live-action Lilo & Stitch would be “coming soon” to Disney+, but now we know that it will be coming out in a movie theater in 2025. It’s a shame that it won’t be on any 2024 movie release schedule, but at least we have next year to look forward to.
The Lilo And Stitch Live-Action Cast
If you were wondering who is going to be in the movie, so far, so here is who you can expect to see:
Maia Kealoha as Lilo
Originally reported by The Hollywood Reporter, newcomer Maia Kealoha is set to play the titular little girl, Lilo. This will be her first major role in Hollywood.
Chris Sanders as Stitch
Entertainment Weekly notes that Chris Sanders will be back to voice Stitch, the little blue alien Lilo becomes friends with. The actor has voiced the character for many, many years, and was actually a co-director behind the original animated film. His Instagram is full of Stitch-love, so it would be quite surprising to see anyone else voice the iconic character.
Sanders even had the chance to talk about voicing Stitch again for the big screen in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in September 2024, saying that he loves that Stitch is still so popular after all these years and what he’s seen from the new movie is “really cool:”
I continue to do his voice for different things. Every once in a while, I’ll go into a booth and do some recordings, and it’s always nice to hear about how he’s still out there, and people still know who he is. They really like him as a character, and it’s just wonderful. How do you describe that? I have been able to see a few things, and I can’t tell you what I’ve seen. But they allowed me to see some peeks of what they wrote, too, and it’s really cool.
Come on, this just makes me even more excited.
Sydney Agudong as Nani
The Hollywood Reporter article regarding Kealoha also said that Sydney Elizebeth Agudong is set to play Nani, Lilo’s older sister and caretaker. The actress has appeared in Star Falls, No Good Nick and Resident Evil.
Billy Magnussen as Pleakley
Billy Magnussen will play Pleakley, an alien that comes down from space to search for Stitch in the film. The actor has appeared in a variety of movies such as Bridge of Spies, Aladdin, Birth of the Dragon, Into the Woods and more.
Magnussen even had the chance to comment on filming the movie in an interview with Games Rader in August 2024, saying that when it comes to redoing a classic like this, with a story as sweet as it is, you have to “approach a project like that with love” and that he enjoyed working on the movie so much:
I adored working with everyone in this. Rideback was the producing house making this film, and I did Aladdin with them. Again, it's a story about connection, and a kid trying to find a friend, and all you can do is approach a project like that with love. I am so grateful and honored to be a part of that project.
Zach Galifianakis as Jumba
Zach Galifianakis has been cast in Lilo & Stitch. The Wrap previously reported that he would play Pleakley, but it was later confirmed that he would play Jumba, another alien that is hunting down Stitch.
Galifianakis has done plenty in movies and television, with his most recent credit being a voice role in The Bob’s Burgers Movie, so it’ll be great to see him in another role where he’ll really get to use his voice a lot.
Amy Hill as Tūtū
Amy Hill will play Tūtū, described as a “warm, quick-witted woman who speaks with a local Pigeon accent,” according to the Entertainment Weekly article above regarding the cast. Hill has appeared in various television shows over her long career, including Preacher, That’s So Raven, and more, and she even had a role in the original Lilo & Stitch film, although her character was different.
Kaipo Dudoit as David
Kaipo Dudoit will play David, Nani’s boyfriend. The actor has appeared in Magnum P.I. and in My Partner. The character was originally going to be played by Kahiau Machado, but was recast due to controversy regarding the use of slurs online.
Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles
Courtney B. Vance will play Cobra Bubbles, an agent who is assigned to the case of Lilo with Nani. The actor has appeared in various movies like Isle of Dogs, The Preacher’s Wife, The Tuskegee Airmen and more.
Tia Carrere as Mrs. Kekoa
Last but not least, we have Tia Carrere. She voiced Nani in the original film, but will be back as a new character, Mrs. Kekoa. The actress has appeared in shows like Relic Hunter and even competed in Dancing with the Stars.
What Will The Live-Action Lilo And Stitch Be About?
The movie has been described as a remake of Lilo & Stitch in several cast announcements, so it may be safe to expect that the new film will re-introduce us to the main characters of the original animated movie.
For those who don’t know what Lilo & Stitch is about, the story is set in Hawaii and follows a young girl, named Lilo, who is under the care of her older sister, Nani, after they lost their parents. Lilo isn’t like most girls and feels as if she has no one and only wants a best friend, while her sister is constantly trying to learn to take care of Lilo and learn to be a parent at such a young age.
One day, Stitch (named Experiment 626) appears after a crash landing and is taken into a dog pound – and Lilo ends up adopting him and naming him “Stitch.” So begins the legend of Lilo & Stitch.
The story is honestly one of my favorites that Disney has ever done, and teaches the value of family and how you can find love like that from anywhere, even from an alien as strange as Stitch is. And out of every live-action remake, I think this one has the best chances of succeeding because it’s such a warm message.
Dean Fleischer Camp Directed
If you were wondering who was going to be directing the film, we have an awesome piece of news here. Disney confirmed that Dean Fleischer Camp is set to direct the upcoming feature.
Previously (in November 2020), according to The Hollywood Reporter, Jon M. Chu (the director of Crazy Rich Asians) was in talks to direct, but now the film is in the hands of Dean Fleischer Camp.
The director is primarily known for his direction with the short films, including Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, which he recently adapted for the big screen. The film was nominated for Best Animated Picture at the 2023 Academy Awards, and is one of the best films of 2022 overall, so it’s awesome to see him announced as the director for such a big film like Lilo and Stitch. I can’t wait to see what he does next.
Chris Kekaniokalani Bright Wrote The Script
One of our last pieces of information is that we know who is going to be penning the script. According to The Hollywood Reporter article above regarding Galifianakis’ casting, it’s been confirmed that Chris Kekaniokalani Bright wrote the script for the adaptation.
Filming Finished In March 2023
Filming for Lilo & Stitch began in 2023, but it was shut down due to the Writer’s Guild Strike, according to The Direct. Eventually, however, the strike was resolved, and filming began again, fans got their first look at Stitch with set photos that came out in February 2024, according to Men's Journal.
Then, in a report from The Hollywood Reporter, it was confirmed that filming for the movie had ended in March 2024.
With so much great news regarding this live-action, I have a feeling that the Lilo & Stitch adaptation is going to be one of Disney’s best films in years. I can’t wait to see the beautiful landscape of Hawaii again, but more importantly, see Stitch make literally everyone’s lives crazier than ever. That’s my ohana, right there.
