Summary

• Disney unveils the first look at the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake, revealing the titular alien's CGI design.
• The teaser also announces that the remake is set to hit theaters in Summer 2025.
• The decision to shift Lilo & Stitch from a Disney+ debut to a theatrical release shows confidence in the remake's quality.

Disney has unveiled the release window and the first official look at the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake at this year's D23. Intended to be a hybrid live-action and CGI animated adaptation of the 2002 animated movie of the same name, filming officially wrapped in March 2024 after a troubled production. Not only was filming delayed due to last year’s SAG-AFTRA strike action, but its original filming start date was also pushed back due to a set fire that is said to have caused $200,000 in damage and destroyed several key costume pieces.

As part of the D23 Entertainment Showcase, for which Screen Rant was in attendance, Disney has released the first teaser for the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake. Check it out below:

While the clip does not reveal anything in the way of the new movie’s live-action cast, it does provide audiences with a good look at the new CGI version of Stitch, or Experiment 626. The announcement also provides the movie with a summer 2025 theatrical release window.

Lilo & Stitch’s New Theatrical Release Window Is A Surprising Change Of Plans

The Movie Was Previously Planned As An Exclusive Streaming Release

When plans for Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch remake were first announced, it was unclear whether the studio intended to release the movie theatrically or was planning on an exclusive streaming release via Disney+. However, when the film’s casting call was announced back in November 2022, it was confirmed that it was being produced for a direct-to-streaming release. This latest announcement from D23, however, seems to indicate a complete change in direction for the movie’s release strategy.

Not only is Disney now intending to release the Lilo & Stitch remake in theaters, but they also appear to be targeting a summer release window typically reserved for some of Hollywood’s most anticipated movies. While it is unclear whether Disney had been quietly planning on a theatrical release all along, or whether the studio revised their strategy in response to the remake’s quality, this unexpected change indicates Disney has a high degree of faith in the movie’s potential.

Given the original movie’s strong critical reception and healthy box office performance, it is possible that Disney’s faith is well-placed. Moreover, despite the criticisms previously leveled at many of Disney's other live-action remakes, the studio's focus on reimagining their animated hits has largely paid off at the box office. With any luck, 2025’s Lilo & Stitch will not only continue this trend, but also deliver a movie worthy of the animated classic on which it is based.

Source: Disney