It’s been two weeks since the live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch hit theaters. Since then, it has been highly praised by fans and critics alike and generated over $627 million at the global box office. So, following the film’s success, a TV series based on this Disney franchise will return to the Disney Channel after nearly 20 years since it last aired.
The Disney Channel has announced that on June 26, it will celebrate Stitch Day by bringing back Lilo & Stitch: The Series. This animated TV show first aired in 2023 and ran for two seasons before releasing its finale film on June 23, 2006. Unfortunately, it’s unknown if all the episodes will air that day or if it will be part of Disney‘s roster until it finishes airing all two seasons.
Lilo & Stitch: The Series is a sequel TV show based on the 2002 animated film, which tells the story of Lilo, Stitch, and their Ohana after Stitch was allowed to stay on Earth. Throughout the show, the rest of Jumba’s missing 623 experiments have escaped Jamba’s container. These creatures would be dubbed Stitch’s cousins, with Lilo giving them names and a new home based on their abilities. Lilo & Stitch: The Series was highly praised by fans, receiving an 85% average audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Before the series aired, Disney released a direct-to-video pilot film titled Stitch! The Movie. This film introduced the rest of Jumba’s experiments and marked the debut of Stitch’s first “cousin,” Experiment 625, also known as Sparky. The series finale was also released as a movie—this time airing on Disney Channel. Titled Leroy & Stitch and released in 2006, the film follows Lilo and Stitch as they face off against Leroy, a new Stitch-like experiment created by Gantu and Dr. Hämsterviel.
‘Lilo & Stitch’ Was More Than Just Movies
Ever since Lilo & Stitch was released in theaters in 2002, the film eventually became a popular Disney franchise, spawning a variety of films and TV shows. After the 2003 Lilo & Stitch TV series aired, Disney released an anime series titled Stitch! It aired in October 2008 and spanned 3 seasons before airing its post-series specials in 2012 and 2015. Later, in 2017, Stitch returned in another series called Stitch & Ai. Unlike the other shows, this one ran for 1 Season and only had 13 episodes.
Additionally, this franchise released a series of comic books, video games, and theme park attractions, including an interactive show where fans chatted with Stitch.
The live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch is now showing in theaters
via Collider