“Lilo & Stitch” in cinemas: Why the film fuels the remake debate

The actress's skin color is too light, the alien Pleakley's women's clothes are missing, the film is too close to the original or deviates too much: The live-action adaptations of old Disney classics, where the original cartoons are brought back to life with real actors, Not all fans are enthusiastic about them. Even with the current remake of "Lilo & Stitch," which just hit theaters, the makers couldn't please everyone.

And yet, according to industry figures, "Lilo & Stitch" is already at number one in the German box office charts in its first weekend after its theatrical release. This is tallying $183 million in the US on Memorial Day Weekend and an estimated $158.7 million overseas. This makes it the third-best theatrical release for a live-action film worldwide. And that's despite all the criticism.

The cast was criticized – not for the first time in a live-action film: After it was announced at the beginning of production that actress Sydney Agudong would take on the role of Lilo's older sister Nani, some fans accused the filmmakers of "whitewashing."

The reason: The character Nani is Native Hawaiian in the original 2002 film. Although Agudong is also of Hawaiian descent, it was said that she doesn't look sufficiently similar to the Native cartoon character due to her lighter skin color. In the entertainment industry, the term "whitewashing" refers to the practice of casting white actors or actresses for roles of non-white characters.

Another character from the original also caused a stir. In the animated film, the alien Pleakley is often seen in women's clothing when disguised as a human. Some fans criticized on social media that this was omitted from the live-action remake. Instead, Pleakley—except for one brief scene—does not dress as a human, but is portrayed by actor Billy Magnussen.

Director Dean Fleischer Camp responded on social media with a simple answer: There had been tests to determine whether CGI aliens could be portrayed credibly in human clothing. But the results weren't suitable for a live-action adaptation, and the budget wasn't sufficient, he explained in an interview with Entertainment Weekly .

Poster for the movie "Lilo & Stitch." The film was released in theaters on May 22, 2025.

Source: -/Disney/dpa

Criticism seems to regularly arise with these types of remakes. But why do Disney and the like continue to produce more and more remakes? For Jörn Precht, professor of transmedia storytelling, dramaturgy, and content development at the Stuttgart Media University, it's clear that Disney also wants to make a profit: "Of course, it's a relatively low risk and offers enormous profit potential, because the generation that makes the purchasing decisions—the parents—have already come to know and love the formats." Nostalgic feelings and a certain curiosity about the remakes also play a role, says Precht. Disney's plan seems to be working so far with "Lilo & Stitch."

The adventure of "Lilo & Stitch" isn't the only animated classic that's about to be remade as a live-action remake. The live-action adaptation of "How to Train Your Dragon" is scheduled to hit theaters on June 12, followed by "Moana" next year. The trend continues, despite current debates and criticism.

The remake of "How to Train Your Dragon" also faced negative reviews in advance. Fans' criticism: The character Astrid in the 2010 animated original is a blonde Viking woman. In the remake, she is portrayed by actress Nico Parker, who has darker skin and hair. In an Instagram post, director Dean DeBlois explained the casting as follows: He wanted to choose the actress who could best embody the character's personality, and that was Parker.

In addition to the profit, media expert Precht also sees another opportunity in live-action remakes: They could bring more modern and inclusive perspectives. And this could also have a positive impact on families: "Generations engage in conversation through artistic material."

It's clear that all live-action adaptations also involve the audience's emotions. Precht believes that the more realistic portrayals, with real actors and new techniques, can evoke even greater emotions in the audience than the original.

Example: In the trailer for the new version of "How to Train Your Dragon," the main character flies on the back of a dragon. The viewer gets the feeling of being in the middle of the action, says the media expert: "Now you fly through the landscape and is there with the filmmaker. I believe that these real aspects immerse you even deeper into the story," says Precht. He firmly believes that live-action remakes won't disappear from cinema screens anytime soon. Criticism or not.