As an adorable blue, goblin-like extraterrestrial pays homage to Disney’s The Lion King in the new Lilo & Stitch teaser trailer, the circle of life must make space for a new species. Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch film is still months away, but the mouse-eared studio is pleased to tease fans with short looks at the lead character. Stitch is shown being lifted aloft at the beach in today’s Lilo & Stitch teaser, a reference to the famous scene from The Lion King where Rafiki introduces a young Simba to the Pride Lands’ animals. Stitch’s orange swimwear, which prevents drowning in novice swimmers, is visible if you look closely.
In Disney’s live-action adaptation of the 2002 animation hit Lilo & Stitch, Maia Kealoha plays the role of Lilo. Chris Sanders, who plays Stitch’s voice, Sydney Agudong, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Courtney B. Vance, Zach Galifianakis, and Billy Magnussen are among the other actors. The story revolves around a young, parentless girl who, completely ignorant of the fact that the “dog” she adopts from the local pound is actually a deadly scientific experiment that has taken sanctuary on Earth and is currently hiding from both its creator and those who view it as a threat.
Lilo & Stitch, directed by Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On), is based on a script written by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright, which was first drafted by Mike Van Wess. In February 2018, Disney revealed the studio’s live-action Lilo & Stitch, but during the 2024 D23 convention, video of Stitch breaking through the movie’s logo was first shown. Following adaptations such as Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, Dumbo, Mulan, and The Little Mermaid, Lilo & Stitch is the latest in the studio’s extensive lineup of live-action remakes. Naturally, Disney won’t stop there. Bambi, Peter Pan, Tangled, and Moana are also slated for live-action adaptations; in Moana, Dwayne Johnson will play Maui again.
Mufasa: The Lion King, the Barry Jenkins-directed Lion King prequel, opens in theaters on December 20, 2024, making the timing of Disney’s new Lilo & Stitch teaser trailer perfect. When it comes to Disney live-action remakes, are you looking forward to Lilo & Stitch or have you had enough? Tell us in the space provided below for comments.
