Disney news: How smash-hit live-action ‘Lilo & Stitch’ divides opinion
Disney’s live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch finally hit the big screen on May 21, and while fans' reactions were initially mixed, the film has soared since its release and become a major hit.
The original Lilo & Stitch hit theatres in the summer of 2002 and has been a beloved film ever since, touching on themes of family and challenges that the characters need to overcome.
Film News Blitz’s Amelie da Costa explains how the live-action do-over has concocted a blend of excitement, criticism and box office success.
A box office hit
The new Lilo & Stitch has been a massive success over the course of the last month.
Grossing over $869 worldwide at the box office, the Disney flick is the third-highest-grossing film of 2025 to date, behind the Chinese animated juggernaut Ne Zha 2 ($1.89 billion) and A Minecraft Movie ($953.6 million).
Critics have also praised the film, earning it a solid 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences are loving it even more, giving it a 93% on the Popcornmeter.
Splitting opinion
Despite a largely positive critical reception and success at the box office, some fans say that Disney has ruined the original plot and made Lilo & Stitch a completely different film due to certain changes.
A change many people protested was making the character Jumba an antagonist within the story and eliminating his character development, which is portrayed in the 2002 version of the movie.
However, for younger fans who didn't grow up with the original, this new version offers an even more powerful take, reimagining the themes of family and challenges in a different light.
The original was always very quirky, and while the new film clings onto that, it also has its own way of being quirky and a tear-jerker.
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There is also something about it that is very touching; the way they have created the film is so similar yet so different to the original.
One unforgettable scene at the end of the film had many audiences in tears, delivering more emotion and intensity that overpowers the beloved 2002 original.
Audiences have also grown to love Stitch, due to the creators making the character the cutest he has ever been, with many expressing how they want him as a pet.
The film is one of the best live-action remakes Disney has made since 2015's Cinderella came to screens.
The vibrant settings in the film accurately represent the Hawaiian theme throughout, touching on the island's traditions, including Ohana, meaning family.
Overall, the new Lilo & Stitch film has become a standout success, cementing itself as a huge hit for Disney and no doubt giving the studio cause to continue its long-standing trend of reimaging beloved animated hits in live-action.
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