Lilo & Stitch (2025)

[Britnasty]

'Lilo & Stitch' Live-Action Remake in the Works at Disney (Exclusive)


Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, who are already working on the live-action remake of 'Aladdin,' are producing what will be a live-action/CG hybrid.

Stitch is back.

Lilo & Stitch, the 2002 animated movie from Walt Disney Feature Animation, is getting the live-action treatment, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

The studio has hired up-and-comer Mike Van Waes to pen the script for the remake that will be produced by Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich of Rideback. The two are already known in the Disney halls as they working on the high-profile live-action remake of Aladdin.

Stitch was written and directed by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders, who later found acclaim with How to Train Your Dragon.

The Hawaii-centric story told of the bond formed between a lonely human girl named Lilo and a dog-like alien named Stitch, who is engineered to be a force of destruction. Pursuing aliens, social workers, and the idea of the bond of family figure into the proceedings.

While not a massive success by modern box office standards, the well-regarded movie was a bright spot in a down period of Disney’s animation history and launched several direct-to-video sequels as well as several television series.

It is unclear whether the feature project, which is intended to be a live-action/CG hybrid, is intended for theatrical release or for Disney's streaming service that launches in 2019.

Rideback’s Ryan Halprin is co-producing.

The feature project is the latest in Disney’s successful strategy of mining their past animated classics and re-purposing them as live-action tentpoles events. Cinderella, The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, Pete’s Dragon are some of the recent releases with Dumbo, The Lion King and Aladdin among those heading moviegoers’ way in the future.

Van Waes is better known in Hollywood circles as a writer of horror fare. He wrote The Crooked Man, based on a character from New Line’s The Conjuring 2 and that is being developed as a Conjuring Universe spinoff. He also wrote Not in Kansas, a Wizard of Oz-themed horror project also set up at New Line. He is repped by CAA and Grandview.

Lin’s Aladdin is due in theaters May 24, 2019. Guy Ritchie directed the movie, which stars Will Smith as Genie.

The Hollywood Reporter

[kylor]

Yes please! Finally, a remake I can get behind.

[phobicsquirrel]

It doesn't stop! No ideas just remake cartoons. Nice.

[Foggy]

I dunno about his, turning this into Live-Action probably means it’s going to have a more schmaltzy, sentimentality ala E.T. Rip-offs.

[avs commenter]

I like this and think it could be pretty good

[Poya]

What’s next? A remake of this?:

[kylor]

Originally Posted by Poya

What’s next? A remake of this?:

[Show spoiler]

I would legitimately love a live action remake of A Nightmare Before Christmas.

[CyberpunkCentral]

That's so weird. I was just thinking yesterday that Disney will eventually do a live-action version at some point.

[ArrestedDevelopment]

Waiting for the remakes of the remakes.

[DanTheMan]

As long as the island natives aren’t getting their skin darkened by makeup....

[Poya]

To be fair, it is the Hollywood Reporter. This could be just a rumor.

[kylor]

I'm all for a remake if the remake is actually good. Disney have some great movies that could do well if done right as a live action remake. Treasure Planet being my first choice.

[Elgie]

Originally Posted by kylor

I would legitimately love a live action remake of A Nightmare Before Christmas.

Doug Jones’ dream role: https://mobile.twitter.com/actordoug...38559754346496

In any case, these things are a lot more inconsequential than people make them out to be.

[joshsquash729]

You know, I'm actually kinda behind this. Stitch is one of my favorite Disney characters, and I think the movie Lilo & Stitch is fairly underrated. It's got some great humor and touches on some more adult themes than the typical Disney movie. If done right, I think this could be pretty magical.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by ArrestedDevelopment

Waiting for the remakes of the remakes.

We have that already:

A Star Is Born
The Magnificent Seven

[El Rey]

y tho

[kylor]

Originally Posted by Elgie

Doug Jones’ dream role: https://mobile.twitter.com/actordoug...38559754346496

In any case, these things are a lot more inconsequential than people make them out to be.

Haha, looks like there's interest at least.

[doctor_who]

My favorite Disney movie. Great news. Should be a beautiful and fun movie shot in Hawaii.

[Jennifer Lawrence Fan]

Gee who didn't see this coming. At thia point Disney doesn't have an original thought in their brain.

Why come up with new ideas when you can turn an animated movie into a live action one. Because they know folks will eat it up. And coming from a person who loved the first film.

[filmbuffTX]

Originally Posted by Poya

To be fair, it is the Hollywood Reporter. This could be just a rumor.

The Hollywood Reporter has been around since the 30s. It’s a legit news source, not just some random blog. They break a lot of stories.