There’s no place we’d rather be than on a surfboard out at sea, lingering in the ocean blue and if we had one wish come true, we’d wish for Lilo and Stitch to be with us as soon as possible. The good news? Our wish DID come true. Disney has just announced that the live action adaptation of the beloved animated classic is set to arrive on May 23, 2025. Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, known for his work on Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, the live-action adaptation aims to honor the spirit of the original and bring it to a new audience.

The movie tells the story of a lonely girl, Lilo — an outcast who is in danger of being separated from her big sister and guardian, Nani, by social services — who finds a new family member in the shape of Stitch, a rogue alien experiment who crash lands on Kaua’i and starts to wreak havoc. After mistaking Stitch for a dog, Lilo soon forms a lifelong bond and the two become best friends.

Maia Kealoha will lead the film as Lilo, while Sydney Elizebeth Agudong will join the young actress as Lilo’s older sister, Nani. The rest of the cast includes Kaipo Duidot as David Kawena, Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles, and Billy Magnussen as Pleakley, Zach Galifianakis as Jumba, and Amy Hill will star as a new character named Tūtū. Chris Sanders, who both wrote the original film and voiced the character of Stitch, is set to return as the voice of Experiment 626. He’s not the only member of the original cast returning. Tia Carrere, who voiced Nani, will play an original character named Mrs. Kekoa.

Chris Sanders Returns as Stitch

The acclaimed director of both the original Lilo and Stitch, and the recent animated smash The Wild Robot — Chris Sanders — also serves as the voice of Stitch in the animation, and it’s wonderful to hear he’s returning for the live action. While promoting The Wild Robot, Sanders recently shared a brief update on his excitement about returning to the world of Lilo & Stitch in a conversation with Collider‘s own Steve Weintraub. When asked about Stitch’s legacy as a character and what it was like to voice the beloved Disney icon again in the upcoming remake, Sanders had the following response:

“I like that the story and the characters have endured. It was my wish that the story and characters would have staying power, and I’m really glad that they have. I’ve never stopped doing the voice. I do it for all the different stage shows and parades and everything, and it’s nice to, several times a year, be able to revisit that character.”

Lilo and Stitch will arrive in theaters on May 23, 2025. Until then, you can watch the original animated classic again and again on Disney+.

via Collider