The following contains spoilers for Lilo & Stitch, now playing in theatersThe live-action Lilo & Stitch makes some interesting changes to the source material that deepen the moral of the story and tweaks the story going forward. Based on the 2002 film of the same name, Lilo & Stitch focuses on the titular pair, a young Hawaiian girl and the alien she adopts as her "dog." The two troublemakers develop a tight bond while contending with both the social services that might separate Lilo from her sister Nani as well as the aliens who seek to recapture Stitch and bring him back to space.

2025's Lilo & Stitch remake differs from the animated classic and how it sets up a potential sequel storyline.

Why Lilo & Stitch Splits Up Lilo And Nani: What It Means For Their Future

Lilo And Stitch Live Apart, But Are Still Family

Lilo & Stitch's happy ending splits up the two sisters but ensures they remain a major part of each other's lives, thanks to the help of some characters original to this version of the story. Lilo & Stitch leans more heavily into the struggles Nani faces as a guardian to her six-year-old sister, including sacrificing a full scholarship to college to follow her ions in marine biology. The social worker Mrs. Kekoa is portrayed as an incredibly sympathetic and kind woman, doing her best to ease Nani into the realization that she isn't prepared to be Lilo's primary caregiver.

However, that doesn't mean they have to split apart. Tūtū is a new important ing character, established early as the neighbor to the Pelekai family and the grandmother to Nani's love interest, David. She offers and does her best to also watch over Lilo. By the end of the film, Tūtū's successfully been able to volunteer as the foster home for Lilo. After rebuilding Lilo and Nani's home, Nani is even able to visit easily thanks to a stolen alien teleporter. Although they're apart, Lilo & Stitch's main family is closer than ever by the film's end.

Jumba Becomes Lilo & Stitch's Main Villain, Replacing Another Character

Jumba Doesn't Get His Standard Redemption Arc

Jumba is a major character in both versions of Lilo & Stitch, a brilliant but dangerous scientist who created Stitch. In both films, he's sent to Earth to recover the specimen. In the original animated film and subsequent spin-off material, Jumba adjusted to Earth and eventually became a part of the extended family. However, Jumba never gets that redemption arc in the live-action film and is instead positioned as the movie's primary antagonist. He never grows to appreciate Earth or Pleakley and is far more vindictive in his attempts to apprehend Stitch.

This is likely the main reason the villain of the original film, Gantu, was cut from the new Lilo & Stitch. With Jumba never turning into a good guy, there was no need for a second massive alien villain. Jumba makes for an interesting antagonist, especially when it's revealed that he hates the emotional attachments that Stitch has made with Lilo. By repositioning the character to be more of a villain, Lilo & Stitch is able to reinforce the themes of the film by highlighting how it's the emotion that counts, not the possessions and superficial elements of family.

How Lilo & Stitch's Ending Compares To The Animated Movie

The Endings Are Very Similar, But Tweaked For Modern Grounded Touches

Structurally, the endings to both versions of Lilo & Stitch are largely similar. In both versions, Stich and the other humans are confronted by the Grand Councilwoman, who allows Stitch's exile to be commuted to Earth. However, many minor details are different, most notably the presence of Tūtū giving Lilo a more stable home while Nani pursues her college ambitions. The film kaes it clear that "family doesn't get left behind" also needs to be applied to self-care, with Tūtū and Mrs. Kekoa reminding Nani that she needs to also focus on herself.

Lilo & Stitch's found family, retaining his role in the original movie. Another big change is Agent Bubbles, who is portrayed as a more grounded CIA character in the live-action movie. The hulking agent was revealed to have already ed aliens off-screen in the animated film, but his decision to help save Lilo instead of reporting the aliens is a big moment for the character and sets him up to also become a permanent part of the extended family unit. These cute additions add a found family layer to the themes of the original movie.

How Lilo & Stitch Sets Up A Potential Sequel

Jumba's Villainous Turn Leaves The Door Open For A Very Obvious Sequel

Lilo & Stitch ends on a fairly definitive note, with the arcs for Lilo, Stitch, and Nani all resolved. However, the movie's decision to keep Jumba a villain could easily be used as a means of adapting another entry in the franchise for a sequel. After having captured Stitch, Jumba comments that he will continue his experiments and attempt to craft a version of the alien who is incapable of emotional connections. In the process, Jumba also goes through a quick display on the computer of his other experiments, confirming that Stitch was far from his first creation.

A sequel to Lilo & Stitch could explore this concept more thoroughly, even bringing back Jumba as the architect of this plan in a bid to overwhelm Stitch.

Stitch! The Movie and the subsequent Lilo & Stitch: The Series focused on many of these other experiments, also eventually following after Stitch and crashing on Hawaii. A sequel to Lilo & Stitch could explore this concept more thoroughly, even bringing back Jumba as the architect of this plan in a bid to overwhelm Stitch. This could be a natural way to expand the original story and introduce Stitch's extended ing characters for new fans.

The True Meaning Of Lilo & Stitch

"Ohana" Is Still At The Core Of Lilo & Stitch, But Expands In Some Compelling Ways

The moral of Lilo & Stitch is similar to the original film, with a focus on the redemption and love that can be found through family — both biological and foster. Both movies make the concept that "no one gets left behind" is paramount to being a part of a family, building to their largely similar endings. However, the live-action movie also brings in some refreshing modern shades to that moral. Just because Lilo and Nani don't live together and Nani goes to college doesn't mean they aren't family.

It's important that Nani gets a greater focus in this new film, which puts more emphasis on her own relative youth and her stalled ambitions. Being her own woman doesn't make her any less of a guardian and a sister to Lilo, a feeling she ends up extending to Stitch by the end of the film. The true meaning of Lilo & Stitch expands the emotional core of the original film and gives it some very compelling new layers.