Lilo & Stitch’s Rotten Tomatoes audience score is here, and the film makes a top-five list for Disney’s live-action remakes. Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, the new film retells the events of the 2002 animated classic, following a blue alien named Stitch as he bonds with a lonely Hawaiian girl named Lilo. Chris Sanders returns to provide the voice for Stitch in theLilo & Stitchremake cast, with the role of Lilo going to Maia Kealoha. The film is the latest in a long line of live-action Disney remakes, and follows the disappointing release ofSnow Whiteearlier this year.
With the film having now hit theaters,Rotten Tomatoesreveals thatthe audience-generated Popcornmeter score forLilo & Stitchsits at a lofty 93% from over 1,000 verified ratings. Though this score could fluctuate as more reviews are added, the movie is currently tied for fourth place withThe Little Mermaid(2023) as part of the top-five ranked Disney live-action remakes by Popcornmeter. With critics, the film didn’t fare quite as well, with that score sitting at only a 68%. Check out Disney’s top five remakes by Popcornmeter below:
1
97%
2
95%
3
94%
4
93%
5
What This Means For Lilo & Stitch
Will It Be A Hit?
The lukewarmLilo & Stitchcritics' reviewsare not unusual when it comes to Disney’s live-action remakes.Critics have routinely criticized these remakes for feeling more like cash grabs than meaningful artistic pursuitsthat enhance the story from the animated source material. It’s with audiences that these remakes often succeed, and the positive Popcornmeter score forLilo & Stitchcould be a sign that this film will experience success in theaters.
It should be noted, however, thatnot all the movies in the top-five chart above were big theatrical hits.Cruella(2021), for example, grossed only $233 million worldwide, but it also released at the height of the pandemic, making it not a strong performance indicator.Maleficent: Mistress of Evil(2019)was released before the pandemic and grossed $491 million, a relatively soft result.Aladdin(2019), on the other hand, was a smash hit, earning mixed reviews from critics but grossing $1.097 billion.The Little Mermaidwas another soft performer at $569 million.
The Little Mermaidfeatured a massive reported budget of $240 million, which set its bar for success higher than other titles mentioned above.
Using audience scores as an indicator of box office performance, then, is far from reliable, butLilo & Stitchis releasing to a great deal of buzz.The film grossed a stunning $14 million in previews on Thursday, a sign that this opening weekend will be a big one for the latest remake afterSnow White’s theatrical disappointment.
Our Take On Lilo & Stitch’s Popcornmeter Score
Stitch Remains Compelling In Live-Action
The originalLilo & Stitch, for a certain generation, is a truly iconic Disney movie. The movie’s Hawaiian setting and Elvis-heavy soundtrack made it a standout in terms of Disney’s animated output. Stitch himself, of course, also became a favorite character due to his voice and humor.
It would seem that the live-actionLilo & Stitchhas recaptured this magic for audiences, and the blue alien’s quirks have clearly translated well into this new medium. It remains to be seen how the film will fare in the long-term, but it’s evidently off to a strong start with viewers.
