The first reactions to the live-actionLilo & Stitchare in, and the responses are nearly unanimous. The upcoming Disney remake will follow the story of a fugitive alien who gets adopted by a young Hawaiian girl, Lilo (Maia Kealoha), which leads to an exploration of family and belonging. It’s also the latest movie to get the live-action treatment, with the original movie releasing in 2002, which was then followed by a Disney Channel series. Followingthe firstLilo & Stitchtrailer, there has been a lot of hype behind the new Disney remake, which is set to release on June 09, 2025.
Now, just days before its release,the first reactions toLilo & Stitchhave dropped, and they have been positive. Several reviewers have even called it one of the best live-action Disney remakes. Check them out below:
@AJGaliardidescribed the movie as “PURE DISNEY MAGIC,” praising some of the story themes and saying that Stitch “will completely steal your heart.”
@IamMichaelJLeeteases that Lilo and Nani’s relationship was “more heartfelt” and claims that the remake nearly captures the spirit of the original 2002 movie.
User@ashleepradellaalso shares the same sentiment about Lilo and Nani’s relationship being the “emotional heart of the film” and considers it “one of Disney’s better remakes.”
@ratedPDGalso described the remake as “super cute, super sweet” while praising the Hawaiian values and family themes in the movie.
The Direct’sRuss Milheimalso posted thatLilo & Stitch"was a ton of fun," calling it “easily one of the best Disney remakes.”
Why The First Lilo & Stitch Reactions Are Important For Disney
It Can Make Up For The Snow White Disappointment
It’s worth noting that these are just first reactions, and official reviews won’t become available until closer to the release. Nevertheless, the first reactions are a good sign for Disney sincethe studio is coming off oftheSnow Whitedisappointment. The live-action remake about the titular princess didn’t do so well commercially and critically, let alone the number of controversies leading up to its release. Alongside a 39% Rotten Tomatoes score, it only accumulated $203 million at the global box office against a reported budget of between $240-270 million. As a result, it became one of the studio’s biggest box office disappointments.
However, the live-actionLilo & Stitchremake may become the biggest redemption story. Despite a few creative criticisms, there is a lot of positive hype behind the upcoming remake. The first look of Stitch received a lot of positive feedback when it was revealed last year, and now Disney has been pushing the marketing, which has included surprise pranks at theaters and movie poster crossovers. Early box officeprojections for theLilo & Stitchremake are around a $120 million opening debut, indicating strong audience interest in the movie despite its competition withMission: Impossible - The Final Reckoningin the same week.
Our Thoughts On Lilo & Stitch’s Early Reaction
It’s The Disney Live-Action Remake That’s Seemingly Worth It
Disney has faced some mixed responses about their live-action remake projects, and that only worsened withSnow White. However, the first reaction may bring back some hope for the studio’s future consideration of live-action movies, especially after theTangledremake was put on hold. The trailers and clips show that Disney took a lot of care in the live-action remake, and it seems that effort may be paying off. Now, the first reactions support the notion that this remake may be worth it.
As part of the generation that grew up with the originalLilo & Stitchmovie and the series, the first reactions made me more excited about the remake. One surprising part is Nani and Lilo’s story getting more in-depth, which seems to be a common consensus in the first reactions. That makes sense given that the story is driven by their hardship following the loss of their parents. Thus, I’m not surprised by the emotional reactions, and there’s no doubt that older and newer generations are even more hyped for the remake.
Source: Various (see above)
