On Friday, the lovable-if-mischievous alien Stitch will be coming back to movie theaters with the all-new live action film Lilo & Stitch.
“Stitch is an example of what Disney actually does best,” David Greenbaum, President of Disney Live Action and 20th Century Studios, said. “An extraordinary animated film from 2002 that becomes a series that then over time creates a real fanship, which leads to us looking at the idea of creating this wonderful film that we now are bringing out to the world.”
As the film hits theaters, Greenbaum discussed what has made Stitch such a phenomenon.
“What people may not realize is that Stitch is actually one of our fastest growing franchises, and he’s global,” Greenbaum said. “There’s real affinity for Stitch among boys and girls, men and women.”
Stitch Across Disney’s Kingdom
Since 2002, when audiences were introduced to Stitch in the Walt Disney Animation Studios film, the blue alien’s brand has expanded across The Walt Disney Company’s various segments.
There are of course the animated sequels and the TV series, but guests at locations such as Walt Disney World Resort and Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa can have fun in-person encounters with the character. And as a brand for Disney Consumer Products, Stitch has grown 27-fold over the last five years.
And that’s not just in the U.S. “The other thing that Disney does, unlike any other place, is it becomes a global phenomenon,” Greenbaum noted.
Stitch is even celebrated annually on June 26, or “626” Day, which is a nod to the experiment number given to the character.
Reintroducing a Beloved Character
Knowing how beloved a character Stitch is made it incumbent upon the studio to take the proper steps to tell the story of Lilo & Stitch in an authentic and engaging way.
“The creative team did such an amazing job of figuring out how to take Stitch from the animated world and bring him into our own,” Greenbaum said.
While new actors were brought in to play the live action roles — like Maia Kealoha as Lilo and Sydney Agudong as her older sister, Nani. Chris Sanders, the iconic voice of Stitch and co-director of the 2002 film, also returns.
“We’re so lucky to have Chris Sanders return to do the iconic voice of Stitch,” Greenbaum said.
The teams have also made sure to get the loveable Stitch out there to build awareness for the character’s return to the big screen. Stitch has seemingly been everywhere lately, from Disney’s 2025 Upfront presentation, to massive billboards in Los Angeles, and even to the Super Bowl.
“The marketing team has just done an incredible job on this movie,” Greenbaum said. “The spot that hit the Super Bowl that they created, more than 170 million people saw it in 24 hours, which is both about the quality of that spot, but also just the fanship.”
Stitch for the Masses
Stitch has multigenerational appeal across demographics, too.
“A lot of the people who love Lilo & Stitch saw it as kids, now, years later, have their own families who want to share Lilo & Stitch with their own kids, myself included,” Greenbaum said.
Greenbaum added that the thing that’s the most interesting about Stitch is that he’s mischievous yet cuddly.
“And I think that that spirit of troublemaker, but also a kind of sweetness to him, is a big part of why people love him and embrace him,” Greenbaum explained.
As with the original animated film, Lilo & Stitch embraces the concept of “ohana,” which means family, and all the warmth that comes with it.
“One of the things that [Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman] Alan Bergman talks a lot about is that our movies have heart and humor, and I think Lilo & Stitch does exactly that,” Greenbaum said. “The experience of watching this movie with your family, with your friends, is one that is joyful and also, I think leaves you feeling lifted as you exit the theater.”
