Over the past decade, Dinsey has attempted to remake their beloved animated classics and turn them into live-action movies. From Cinderella to The Little Mermaid, these remakes have ranged from visually stunning to highly debated. Whether it changes the plot of the story, the casting, or the existence of a photorealistic talking animal, each film has managed to stir up controversy. And now, Disney is preparing to release its new and “improved” live-action adaptation of Lilo and Stitch. Once again, Disney has found themselves in the middle of a controversial storm.

Lilo and Stitch tell the story of a lonely Hawaiian girl, Lilo, who adopts an unusual “dog” only to discover that he is a generic runaway experiment from another planet—AKA Stitch. Throughout the movie, Stitch changes from destructive to loving as Lilo teaches him about love, faith, and ohana, the Hawaiian concept of family. Through her kindness, Lilo helps Stitch find his heart and a place to belong.

Disney is set to unveil the live-action Lilo and Stitch movie on May 23, 2025. About a week ago, they released their trailer. The trailer introduces Stitch, a mysterious, blue, furry alien experiment. He then manages to escape captivity and crash lands in Hawaii. At the same time, Lilo wishes on a shooting star that she would have a friend. Lilo then adopts Stitch. From there, the trailer highlights Stitch’s chaotic shenanigans–masquerading as a dog, wreaking absolute havoc on the beach, and harassing Lilo’s sister, Nani.

This preview emphasizes themes like Ohana, the family concept, no one gets left behind, and acceptance. This film features Maia Kealoha as Lilo, Sydney Agudong as Nani, and Chris Sanders, who is reprising his role as the iconic voice of Stitch. And while the trailer may capture some of the heartwarming humor and chaos that the original movie had, controversy is already spiraling over the casting choices.

Sydney Agudong, the actress playing Nani, has found herself at the center of this controversy. Because of her ethnic background of being Caucasian, Filipino, and coming from Polynesian descent, both she and Disney have faced a lot of backlash because she is not fully Polynesian. Critics also believe that Agudong is too light-skinned to be playing Nani. Many fans argue that her casting doesn’t correctly represent Nani, who is a character so deeply rooted in Hawaiian culture. This raises concerns about the film’s commitment to authentic representation. Ishani Jain (10) agrees, stating, “If you are going to film a live-action movie, then you should do it properly and not try to shortchange any character.” 

Many fans love live-action remakes for their nostalgic appeal, while others believe timeless classics should be left untouched. As Kanhi Bhagat (11) says, “They’re good, but never quite the same as the original.”