'Lilo & Stitch' Live-Action Trailer Has Dropped With Huge View Rate

TV & Film

Mar 19

Lilo & Stitch is heading back to theaters, this time as a live-action film. Due to release on Memorial Day of this year, Disney released a new trailer on March 12, tearing up the records for views. It is currently the second most viewed Disney live-action trailer in history., with the first one being the 2019 live-action adaptation of The Lion King. As of March 15, the film trailer had received 158 million views in 24 hours, which is likely much higher now.

The film stars newcomer Maia Kealoha as Lilo Pelekai and Chris Sanders will be returning as the iconic voice of Stitch. The film also stars Sydney Agudong as Nani Pelekai, Zach Galifianakis as Dr. Jumba Jookiba, Billy Magnussen as Agent Pleakley, Kaipo Dudoit as David Kawena, Tia Carrere (the original film’s and spin-off’s Nani) as new character Mrs. Kekoa, Courtney B. Vance will be replacing Ving Rhames as Agent “Cobra Bubbles,” Amy Hill as David’s grandmother, Tūtū, and Jason Scott Lee (the original voice of David) as a lūʻau manager.

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Despite the overwhelming number of views the trailer has received, it has not been without controversy, specifically Pleakley and Jumba disguising themselves as two holographic men instead of comically dressing in human clothing. The duo’s haphazard disguise as a married couple was done to great comic effect in the original animated film, primarily with Pleakley (badly) dressed in drag.

The original animated Lilo & Stitch film was released in 2002, and has become one of Disney’s more popular franchises, spawning a Disney animated series, Lilo & Stitch: The Series (2003-2006), direct-to-video sequel films Stitch! The Movie (2003), Stitch Has a Glitch (2005), Leroy & Stitch (2006), and even a loosely adapted Japanese animated series, Stitch! (2008-2015). The new live-action Lilo and Stitch film will be released in theaters on May 23, 2025.