The trailer, shared on social media this Wednesday, transports us back to the island of Kauai, where young Lilo, played by Hawaiian actress Maia Kealoha, dreams of finding someone to share her time with. In an emotional moment, Lilo expresses her wish: "I wish for a friend. A best friend." Soon after, her wish comes true with the arrival of a mysterious blue being: Stitch, an alien experiment designed for destruction.
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Check out the trailer here
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The adaptation blends live-action and CGI to recreate the extraterrestrial creatures, staying true to the Hawaiian concept of "ohana," which means family. Lilo reaffirms this message in the trailer, saying, "Sometimes, family isn't perfect. But that doesn't mean it's not good." However, Stitch doesn't take long to show his chaotic nature, causing havoc on the island: he crashes a golf cart, throws a CD at a moving car, and destroys a sandcastle. The trailer's soundtrack, featuring songs like "You’re the Devil in Disguise" by Elvis Presley and "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride," reinforces his mischievous character.
Seven-year-old Maia Kealoha makes her film debut as Lilo after an extensive audition process. In an interview with PEOPLE, she shared her excitement: "When I found out I was going to be Lilo, I was speechless, I couldn't believe it. I called my dad and said, 'I did it, I did it! I'm Lilo!'"
The cast is rounded out by Sydney Agudong as Nani, Lilo's older sister and guardian; Kaipo Dudoit as David, Nani's close friend; and Courtney B. Vance as the stern yet understanding social worker Cobra Bubbles. For the alien characters, Chris Sanders returns to voice Stitch, reprising his role from the original animated film. Zach Galifianakis plays the eccentric Dr. Jumba Jookiba, Billy Magnussen is the nervous agent Pleakley, and Hannah Waddingham lends her voice to the Grand Councilwoman of the Galactic Federation.
Additionally, Tia Carrere, who voiced Nani in the animated version, returns in a new role as social worker Mrs. Kekoa, and Amy Hill, who played Mrs. Hasagawa in the original, joins the cast as a new character named Tūtū.
One of the production's biggest challenges has been recreating Stitch in CGI. Unlike other animated characters in Disney adaptations, such as Snow White's seven dwarfs, the live-action version of Stitch remains true to its original design. Since its first appearance at the D23 Expo, the digital Stitch has received positive feedback for its appearance, especially for retaining its original voice actor, Chris Sanders.
For Maia Kealoha, acting alongside a computer-generated Stitch was a fun challenge that allowed her to train her "imagination."
Disney has heavily invested in live-action adaptations of its animated classics. In recent years, it has brought to the screen new versions of "Beauty and the Beast," "The Lion King," "Aladdin," "Mulan," and "The Little Mermaid," with mixed results at the box office and from critics. "Lilo & Stitch" is next on the list, followed by "Snow White" in March 2025 and "Moana" in 2026.
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