Disney’s live action adaptation of their animated classic Lilo and Stitch has received a new update: after the massive success of Marcel The Shell With Shoes On, director Dean Fleischer Camp has been tapped to direct Disney’s remake of the film, per Deadline. First released in 2002, the animated sci-fi comedy followed Lilo, a seven-year-old Hawaiian girl who is raised by her older sister Nani after they lose their parents in a car crash. Things take a turn when she adopts Stitch, an extraterrestrial entity impersonating a dog.
The film familiarized the global audience with the Hawaiian concept of ʻohana, or extended family – and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. The massive success of the animated movie spawned a franchise that includes three direct-to-video sequels, starting with Stitch! The Movie, and three television series, including the sequel series Lilo & Stitch: The Series and spin-offs Stitch! and Stitch & Ai. The live-action film was first announced in 2018, however no further updates were provided.
Currently, Chris Kekaniokalani Bright is in negotiations to write the script with Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich of Rideback set to produce. Rideback’s Ryan Halprin is set to executive produce. As of now, it is unknown whether the live-action will directly drop on Disney+ or will also get a theatrical run.
The original movie was written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. The voice cast included Sanders as Stitch, Daveigh Chase as Lilo Pelekai, Tia Carrere as Nani Pelekai, David Ogden Stiers as antagonist Dr. Jumba Jookiba, and Zoe Caldwell as the Grand Councilwoman, among others.
By helming Lilo and Stich, Camp will join the ranks of many top directors who had their own takes on star-studded live-action remakes by the House of Mouse. Disney has been reviving many of its animated titles of late, such as The Lion King from director Jon Favreau, starring Donald Glover, Beyoncé, Seth Rogan, Billy Eichner, and more. Bill Condon made Beauty and the Beast starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, while Guy Ritchie took a shot with Aladdin starring Will Smith, Mena Massoud, and Naomi Scott. More recently, Disney released Niki Caro’s take on Mulan on Disney+ starring Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, and Tzi Ma, among others.
Camp is riding high on the success of A24’s animated pic Marcel The Shell With Shoes On, starring Jenny Slate as the voice of the titular character. The film has garnered almost $1 million at the box office with more to come as its release goes wider.
via Collider