And lo, there came yet another live action remake of an animated Disney classic that would surely become as big a cultural touchstone as the film that inspired it.
When is Lilo & Stitch being released in New Zealand?
Lilo & Stitch is screening in New Zealand cinemas from May 22, 2025.
What is Lilo & Stitch about?
The sheer economic power of brand name recognition. And family. Did you know that “ohana” means family?
You know the drill here: orphaned Native Hawaiian girl Lilo has it tough, with her older sister Nani struggling to care for her, and other kids thinking she’s a bit of a weirdo, when along comes Stitch, a koala-esque blue alien with a penchant for chaos. Turns out he’s an illegal genetic experiment, and someone rather sinister is on his trail. Hijinks ensue. It’s a bit like E.T., if E.T. was a cynical cash-in on a beloved earlier film also called E.T. You know, like Mac and Me.
The cast of Lilo & Stitch
Maia Kealoha is Lilo; Chris Sanders, who co-directed and co-wrote the original, and created the character, is reprising his role as Stitch; Sydney Agudong is Nani, Lilo’s older sister; Zach Galifianakis is Agent Pleakley, who is tracking down our boy Stitch; Billy Magnussen is Dr. Jumba Jookiba, the Kweltikwan mad scientist who created Stitch; Courtney B. Vance is the delightfully named Cobra Bubbles; Tia Carrere is social worker Mrs. Kekoa; and Amy Hill is kindly neighbour Tūtū.
Lilo & Stitch trailer
Why we’re excited about Lilo & Stitch
We’re excited about it in much the same way we’d be excited about a cholera outbreak.
Ah, look: the kid is cute, the core message is strong, and director Dean Fleischer Camp did Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, so there’s a chance we’ll get something decent here. But come on, Disney—you gotta get off this merry-go-round.
