Lilo & Stitch is a live-action version of Disney’s 2002 animated film. I remember when the animated movie was released, we were almost a year out from 9/11. As I watched the film on the big screen, seeing Stitch fill the void in Lilo’s life, the movie just filled my heart with joy!
Another reason why the cartoon resonated with me so much is because my family is from Hawaii. Although I was born on the mainland, my parents are from the islands of Kauai and Oahu in Hawaii. Seeing the characters who look like me and have Hawaiian accents like my grandparents really gave me a sense of pride, especially since the message of the film is about family or as they say in Hawaii, “ohana.”
Fast forward to 2025 and the new live-action Lilo & Stitch captures the same spirit as the original. Some parts of the storyline have been updated to give the movie a fresh new perspective.
“Lilo & Stitch,” is the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family. A live-action reimagining of Disney’s 2002 animated classic, “Lilo & Stitch” is directed by Dean Fleischer Camp. The film stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong and Maia Kealoha.
Kids will be entertained by Stitch’s antics, but for adults, particularly GenX and Millennials who love the original, they’ll appreciate the heartfelt moments between sisters Lilo and Nani.
Fans of the cartoon will remember that Tia Carrere (Easter Sunday) was the voice actress for Nani. The live-action film brings her back as Mrs. Kekoa, a social worker, which I thought was a nice touch.
Now you may be wondering, wasn’t Cobra Bubbles (voiced by Ving Rhames) the case worker in the original? In the 2025 version, Courtney B. Vance (American Crime Story) plays a kinder, gentler version of the CIA agent posing as a social worker and supervisor to Mrs. Kekoa.
Rounding out the cast is Amy Hill (Magnum P.I.), Billy Magnussen (No Time to Die), Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso), Chris Sanders (The Croods), and Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover).
Lilo & Stitch is super cute and entertaining. You’ll laugh and for softies like me, you’ll shed a tear during certain scenes.
The movie truly embodies the message that “Ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” I brought my kid to the screening, and she loved it! To quote my daughter, “It’s one of the best Disney live-action movies I’ve seen!”
Thanks, Disney Studios for inviting us!
Watch Lilo & Stitch when it opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, May 23rd!
“Lilo & Stitch” is rated PG.
Visit the official website here for more information.
Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received for this post. This blog post is for informational purposes. I attended an advanced screening of the movie which helped facilitate this write-up. Images shown in this post are used with permission. As always, my opinions are 100% my own.
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I just love LILO. Can’t wait to take the grandkids to it.
I’m so excited to see the live action Lilo and Stitch! We loved the animated movie, and the casting is perfect. This is going to be great!
I’m more excited about this remake than any other Disney live-action movie to date. This is my favorite of all time.
It’s definitely on my must see list now. Especially after watching the original you fondly recall and you family heritage! The original touched my heart. Thank you for the suggestion! You’re the best Jen!
How have I not seen this one yet?! I love that Tia Carrere is in it again.
I am excited to see this movie remake. I do love the characters in this movie and also the music.
Lovely to read the how the movie resonates with you and I met it does the same with others from Hawaii as well. I can’t wait to watch the movie remake with my family!
I thought the movie was funny and silly and very funny and the movie was amazing and so cool and great the hole movie and the people the characters was great too
I’m so glad to hear the remake stayed true to the “ohana” spirit—Lilo & Stitch has always been such a special story. Can’t wait to see how the new version captures that same magic for a whole new generation!
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I can’t wait to take my two year-old daughter to see the new Lilo and Stitch movie. She is mesmerized by the previews. And she loves the original movie.
Kristy Bullard recently posted…The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
This sounds so good! I can’t wait to see how they updated the story while keeping that amazing ohana spirit.
We saw Lilo and Stitch this week with our kids – which was so much fun!
This post brought back all the memories I had watching the original with my children when they were younger! I can’t wait to share this remake with my daughters.
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I have always been a Stitch fan and we watched this on the first day. It was a great movie. I even shed some tears. I am looking forward to watching it again once it’s available on Disney+