Disney live action remakes of their animated classics have been a pretty mixed bag. Some have been great (Beauty and the Beast 2017) some have been mediocre (Aladdin 2019, The Little Mermaid 2023) and some have been downright awful (Snow White 2025). Thankfully Lilo & Stitch, with a few minor gripes, is probably Disney’s best since the aforementioned Beauty and the Beast.

On Planet Turo scientist Dr. Jumba Jookiba has created an aggressive and destructive creature going by the name Experiment 626. Sentenced to be exiled on a remote asteroid 626 manages to escape on a space cruiser that crash lands in Hawaii.

Experiment 626 is taken to an animal shelter, for some strange reason they think the blue creature with large ears is a dog, where he’s rescued by orphaned teenager Lilo (Maia Kealoha)

Staying with her sister (Sydney Agudong) and one mishap away from being taken into care by the local social worker (Tia Carrere) Lilo names the strange creature Stitch.

Meanwhile back on Planet Turo the Federation's Grand Councilwoman (Hannah Waddingham) offers Jumba an early release if he retrieves 626 with the assistance of the council's Earth expert, Agent Pleakley.

That’s pretty much it plot wise. The rest of the runtime mostly involves Stitch and Lilo causing mayhem as they try to avoid either the social work, the CIA or Jumba and Pleakley.

Lilo & Stitch is at it’s best when it sticks to the 2002 original. Sadly Disney, as has been the case with their live action remakes, they couldn’t resist tinkering with their winning formula. For reasons, I imagine might have been due to CGI costs, they have inexplicably replaced Agent Pleakley and Jumba with two human characters (played by Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen). The decision just doesn’t work, Magnussen at least try’s his best to be alien whereas Galifianakis looks as if he would rather be anywhere but in a Lilo & Stitch movie.

Casting aside Lilo & Stitch, much like the 2002 original, is a massive amount of fun and comes highly recommended.