A few things I learned on a recent visit to Kauai, Hawaii: The island was never conquered by King Kamehameha during his attempt to unify the island chain; there are more chickens than you can possibly imagine, everywhere; and Stitch from Lilo & Stitch is practically a state-approved mascot. Disney’s lil’ alien pops up everywhere, from gift shops to shave ice joints, a testament not only to indelible creature design but the movie’s rendering of life on Kauai. Lilo & Stitch is wonderful! Dare I say, Disney’s most Ghibliesque film?
Naturally, Disney is giving the 2002 movie the live-action remake treatment. First announced way back in 2018, the film went through a number of directors and cast members as it inched toward reality, with Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On) rolling cameras last year. On Friday night of Disney’s big D23 Expo, the studio finally revealed a first look for the long-gestating project, which was headed straight to Disney Plus but will now open in theaters next summer. The stakes are high (just ask the folks on Kauai).
Not everyone loves the idea of a remake. During a 2020 talk at the Annecy International Animation Festival, Lilo & Stitch co-director Dean DeBlois admitted he didn’t quite understand the point of remaking something that was so deeply rooted in the vision of his co-director, Chris Sanders.
“Lilo & Stitch was so quirky, such a singular voice. It was Chris’ sensibility brought to life in such a personal way. It started as a children’s story [he was working on],” DeBlois explained at the panel. “It’s so specific, that the idea of another team coming in to remake it without Chris involved — without any of the team involved — is kind of crazy. It’s not a time tested classic. It’s not a fairytale. It’s not a staple of folklore. It’s as individual as it could be.”
The good news is Fleischer Camp is a legit filmmaker, and the heart of the original Lilo & Stitch may be enough to beam through once again when transmuted into live-action. We’ll know more next summer — and thankfully, on a big screen.
