‘Lilo & Stitch’ Director Teases a Softer Version of Stitch
After the disaster that was Snow White, Disney will return to theaters on May 26 with Lilo & Stitch.
A live-action remake of the beloved animated film, Lilo & Stitch will return audiences to Hawaii for a new twist on the endearing story of friendship, family, and finding yourself.
Ahead of the film’s debut in theaters, director Dean Fleischer Camp sat down with Empire to discuss his titular character.
Photo: Disney
Here is what we learned
A Milder Stitch
While most fans remember Stitch as a good-hearted alien with a mischievous streak, that is not how the character is portrayed at the beginning of the animated Lilo & Stitch.
Photo: Disney
“If you re-watch the original, he is literally just using Lilo as a human meat-shield for the first half,” Fleischer Camp explained.
Still, after all these years, Stitch is recognized as the redeemed, adorable member of Lilo’s Ohana, not a fugitive alien bent on destruction. Fleischer Camp knew, then, that he had to be careful when bringing the character back to the big screen.
Photo: Disney
This time around, Stitch’s “bad side” is similar to “a toddler putting something in their mouth,” the director explained. “He’s leading with curiosity, and all he knows is destruction.”
The Heart of the Film
At the heart of Lilo & Stitch is the moving relationship between the film’s titular characters. According to Fleischer Camp, Maia Kealoha, who plays Lilo in the film, bonded with her stuffed co-star.
Photo: Disney
“Even on days when we weren’t shooting them in the same scene together, she would insist on giving him a kiss goodnight.”
Lilo & Stitch will hit theaters on May 23, 2025.
Photo: Disney
