Disney’s animated favorite Lilo & Stitch is returning to theaters! This go-round, it’ll be a big studio-produced live-action feature helmed by Marcel’s maker Dean Fleischer Camp. This exciting new adaptation is soon to take UK cinemas by storm on 21st May. It seeks to recreate the “wonderful mayhem” that audiences connected with in the first movie.
Lilo & Stitch has evolved into what many consider the Disney equivalent of a cult classic since its initial debut in 2002. The original animated story of Lilo & Stitch centers on Stitch, or Experiment 626, as he falls to Earth with evil plans. The story really does start to fray at the seams. Through his relationship with the sweet and unpredictable Lilo, Stitch discovers the true meaning of ‘Ohana.
Now, in the process of making the live-action adaptation, Fleischer Camp will have to strike that balance with Stitch’s character again. He emphasizes the need to calibrate Stitch’s ratio of ‘good’ to ‘bad’ carefully, particularly because the character’s chaotic behavior plays a central role in the story.
“If you re-watch the original, he is literally just using Lilo as a human meat-shield for the first half,” – Dean Fleischer Camp
This live-action adaptation seeks to maintain that complexity, while introducing audiences to an exciting new interpretation of the characters. The film is currently inspiring a frenzy of spin-off films and television series. An avalanche of merchandise has continually injected new life into the franchise.
On location, Maya Kealoha as Lilo goes on set and meets Stitch so she can visualize what her character would be going through. Unsurprisingly, Kealoha wholeheartedly agreed, saying that Stitch was “adorable.” After their matchups, she jumped up and down and insisted on blowing him a goodnight kiss.
“He’s leading with curiosity, and all he knows is destruction.” – Dean Fleischer Camp
Fleischer Camp notes Kealoha’s endearment toward her co-star fondly, explaining that the real love they had for each other helped to give their performances even more resonance. Audiences are running headfirst into the next chapter of the Lilo & Stitch universe. Anxious to see how the live-action adaptation will honor the revered animated original and yet still move the characters in exciting new directions.