Overview

• The live-action 'Lilo & Stitch,' directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, opens in theaters on May 23, 2025, and currently holds a 76% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
• Newcomer Maia Kealoha's performance as Lilo and the expressive CGI rendering of Stitch have been widely praised by critics.
• The film deepens the emotional dynamic between Lilo and her sister Nani, highlighting themes of family and resilience, but some critics found the pacing uneven.
• Changes from the 2002 animated original, including the omission of Captain Gantu and Pleakley's signature drag, have sparked discussions about representation and adaptation choices.
• While the film retains much of the original's charm, some reviewers noted that side characters like Jumba and Pleakley struggled to translate effectively to live-action.