Lilo & Stitch

***Lilo & Stitch*** is an upcoming live action science fiction comedy-drama film producing by Disney Studios and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It will be released by 2024 only on Disney Plus.

## Lilo & Stitch

### Written by

Chris Sanders
Mike Van Waes

### Produced by

Dan Lin
Jonathan Eirich
Lewis Cosgrove

## Plot

Dr. Jumba Jookiba is arrested and put on trial by the Galactic Federation for "illegal genetic experimentation", evidenced by his creation Experiment 626, a small sentient creature with unparalleled intelligence and strength, but also a propensity to cause chaos. Jumba is imprisoned while Experiment 626 is sentenced to exile on a desert asteroid. 626 manages to escape in a spaceship and activates the hyperdrive, causing its guidance systems to malfunction and randomly set a course for Earth. 626 crash lands on the Hawaiian island of Kauai and is knocked unconscious by three passing trucks and taken to an animal shelter. The Grand Councilwoman dispatches Jumba and Agent Pleakley, the Council's expert on Earth, to the planet to have 626 captured discreetly.

On Kauai, a young woman named Nani has been struggling with caring for her rambunctious and friendless younger sister, Lilo, who has sadly been ridiculed by her hula classmates and peers, especially Mertle Edmonds, following the death of their parents in a car accident. A social worker named Cobra Bubbles expresses increasing concern that Nani is unable to take adequate care of Lilo, therefore giving Nani three days to change his mind and told her to find a job if she could convince him otherwise. Nani argues with Lilo about being taken away, due to Cobra's increasing concern. To reduce Lilo's grief after a brief argument, Nani decides to let Lilo adopt a dog. Then after, the "falling star" crash lands and Lilo pushes Nani who is feeling dizzy out of her bedroom to make a wish. Meanwhile, 626 tries to find ways to wreak havoc on Earth, but he gets hit by a big truck and had his body jammed under the fender. At the shelter, Lilo immediately takes a keen interest in Experiment 626, who is impersonating a dog, in order to escape captivity. In spite of Nani's doubts, Lilo names 626 "Stitch" and shows him around the island. While he is hard to tame, he stands up to Myrtle for her and they both spend time together. But Stitch punishes Mertle for being mean, throws her off the bike and steals it, taking Lilo with him. After they escape, Stitch throws a fit when looking at an empty island.

That evening, as Lilo and Stitch eat dinner at the luau where Nani works, Jumba and Pleakley try but fail to capture Stitch. The resulting chaos is blamed on Stitch, causing Nani to be fired. The next day, Cobra warns Nani that if she doesn't get another job, Cobra will have to place Lilo with a foster family. And Stitch angrily throws a book at Cobra's face. As Nani attempts to find another job, Lilo tries educating Stitch about Elvis Presley, whom she calls a "model citizen". However, Stitch's antics, including evading Jumba and Pleakley, ruin Nani's chances of finding work.

Nani's friend, David, invites Nani and Lilo to take a break and enjoy a day of surfing. While Nani, Lilo and Stitch ride on a huge wave, Jumba makes one final effort to capture Stitch from underwater knowing Stitch's biggest weakness is his inability to float in water, causing Nani to wipe out, and Stitch unintentionally pulls Lilo down with him. Although everyone gets safely to shore, Cobra witnesses this unfortunate event, telling Nani that although she means well, Lilo will have to be taken away. After seeing how much trouble he has caused, a remorseful Stitch runs off brokenhearted.

The next morning, the Councilwoman, frustrated with their lackluster progress, relieves Jumba and Pleakley of their assignment, giving it to the militant Captain Gantu instead. This gave Jumba to pursue Stitch by using less covert methods much to Pleakley's dismay. Meanwhile, David informs Nani of a job opportunity, which Nani rushes to pursue and leaves Lilo home. Stitch, hiding in the nearby woods, encounters Jumba, who chases Stitch back to Lilo's house. A fight ensues, which ends in Lilo and Nani's house being blown up. Cobra arrives to collect Lilo and take her away to the foster family. As Nani and Cobra argue, Lilo runs away and encounters Stitch, who reveals his alien identity just moments before Captain Gantu captures both of them. Stitch manages to escape before Gantu's ship takes off and is confronted by Nani. Before he can explain, Jumba and Pleakley capture Stitch themselves. Nani demands that they help her rescue Lilo, but Jumba insists they only came for Stitch. When Nani breaks down into tears, Stitch reminds Nani about "*ʻohana*", a term for "family" he learned from Lilo, and convinces Jumba to help rescue Lilo. Jumba, Pleakley, Stitch, and Nani give chase in Jumba's spaceship, and eventually rescue Lilo from Gantu.

Back on land, the Grand Councilwoman appears and prepares to take Stitch into custody and retire Gantu for his failure to complete the task to capture Stitch at the expense of endangering the lives of others during his mission (which included capturing Lilo by accident and almost killing her along with Stitch after destroying his own ship in an attempt to kill them). Lilo, however, insists that, as Stitch is her pet under local law, he cannot be taken away. Impressed with Stitch's newfound civility and empathy, the Councilwoman decrees that Stitch will live in exile on Earth and be entrusted into the care of Lilo and Nani. She also informs Cobra, who turns out to be a former CIA agent whom she met previously in 1973, that the family will be under the care of the Galactic Federation. Together, they, along with Jumba, Pleakley, Cobra, and David, rebuild the house. Jumba and Pleakley become members of Lilo and Stitch's family as well, and they all have great times together.

The film ends with a montage of Stitch and his new family's life together accompanied by the song "Burning Love".

## Cast

* Chris Sanders as Stitch
* Maia Kealoha as Lilo Pelekai
* Sydney Agudong as Nani Pelekai
* Billy Magnussen as Pleakley
* Kaipo Dudoit as David Kawena
* Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles
* Zach Galifianakis as Jumba Jookiba
* To-be-confirmed actress as Grand Councilwoman
* To-be-confirmed actor as Captain Gantu

## Production

### Development

A live-action adaptation of *Lilo & Stitch* was first reported in October 3, 2018, to be under development at Walt Disney Pictures, with Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich of production studio Rideback producing, and Mike Van Waes writing the film's script.

On November 13, 2020, it was reported that Jon M. Chu was in talks to direct the film, while Disney was looking for a new writer to re-write Van Waes's script. However, it was later reported in May 2021 that Chu decided to leave production to focus on his film adaptations of *Wicked* and *China Rich Girlfriend*.

On July 14, 2022, *Deadline Hollywood* reported that Dean Fleischer Camp will be the film's director, while Chris Kekaniokalani Bright was negotiating with Disney to rewrite the script.

### Filming

Filming will take place in Hawaii. It was supposed to begin in fall 2020.