Disney+ looks to be the destination for the live action take of Disney’s 2002 animated hit Lilo & Stitch, which is set for a 2024 release.
We’ve known that a live action take on Disney’s Lilo & Stitch was on the way for a long time now. After all, the project went into active development all the way back in 2020 but as you well know, the world has been in an interesting place over the last few years, not least in the global film industry.
Post-production commenced on the project back in February but it was assumed that everything was running behind on the picture, given that a fire on set in 2022 stalled production by several months before last year’s Hollywood strikes further slowed things down.
With that in mind, the project wasn’t expected to arrive this year but a piece by The Hollywood Reporter is claiming that the film is currently slated for release later this year. Although it’s unconfirmed, the piece also notes that Disney+ is the expected destination for the film meaning that unlike most of the studio’s live action remakes, this one will be skipping cinemas entirely.
Chris Kekaniokalani Bright penned the screenplay for Lilo & Stitch and Dean Fleischer Camp directs. Just like the animated original, the film is ‘a tale of a young girl’s close encounter with the galaxy’s most wanted extraterrestrial.’ Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizebeth Adugong, Kaipot Dudoit, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Magnussen and Courtney B. Vance star.
Disney have been keen to move away from straight to streaming launches of late, given that the studio seems to have recognised the damage that this approach did to several of its brands, not least Pixar. That particular studio has struggled to reassert its status with fans and moviegoers in the wake of a period in which several of its films went straight onto Disney’s streaming service. The new Lilo & Stitch looks like it will be going straight to Disney+ though, although how it will perform is anybody’s guess given that we haven’t yet seen any marketing materials to promote the movie either.
We’ll bring you more on this one as we hear it, including a firm release date.
