Disney Just Confirmed Angel Is Joining ‘Lilo & Stitch 2’ in a First Look For the Sequel

Disney’s live-action remake strategy has had its fair share of hits and misses, but few landed as decisively as last year’s reimagining of ‘Lilo & Stitch’. The film became a genuine box office phenomenon, delivering the biggest Memorial Day opening in box office history and proving there was still an enormous appetite for the beloved franchise.

That success made a sequel feel almost inevitable, and Disney wasted little time getting one into motion. Development on a follow-up reportedly began just weeks after the original hit theaters, setting the stage for one of this year’s most anticipated D23 reveals.

That anticipation finally paid off at the event, where Disney confirmed ‘Lilo & Stitch 2’ will officially arrive in theaters on May 26, 2028, alongside a teaser revealing the live-action debut of a beloved fan-favorite character. Maia Kealoha, who returns as Lilo, took the stage alongside a fuzzy, waving Stitch to introduce the footage, joined by fellow returning star Sydney Agudong, who plays Nani.

The biggest reveal came when the teaser showed Stitch’s pink counterpart and love interest, Angel, making her first-ever live-action appearance. “Wait, there’s two of them?!” Kealoha joked on stage as Angel’s glowing antennae appeared on screen, drawing a big reaction from the crowd in attendance.

Also known as Experiment 624, Angel was originally introduced in ‘Lilo & Stitch: The Series’ and has since become one of the franchise’s most popular characters, particularly within its merchandise line. Notably, Angel did not appear in the 2005 animated film ‘Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has A Glitch’, making this live-action debut a genuinely new addition to the franchise’s screen history rather than a straightforward retelling.

In the source material, Angel possesses a siren-like song capable of turning reformed experiments back to their original, more chaotic tendencies, a trait that could open up plenty of story possibilities depending on how the sequel chooses to use her. Disney has confirmed the sequel will tell an entirely new story rather than adapting the plot of the 2005 animated follow-up.

Chris Sanders, who co-created the original 2002 animated film and has voiced Stitch for over two decades, is directing the sequel from his own script, taking over behind the camera from ‘Lilo & Stitch’ 2025 director Dean Fleischer Camp. Jonathan Eirich returns to produce through Rideback, with production reportedly set to begin later this year.

The timing of the release places ‘Lilo & Stitch 2’ squarely within Disney’s stacked summer 2028 slate, arriving just three weeks ahead of Pixar’s ‘Incredibles 3’, which is set to hit theaters on June 16, 2028. It’s a clear signal of how much confidence Disney has in both franchises heading into that crowded release window.

The original ‘Lilo & Stitch’ grossed $1.038 billion worldwide on a $100 million budget, making it one of only three billion-dollar movies released that year. That kind of box office performance all but guaranteed a sequel would eventually happen, but the confirmation of Angel’s inclusion has given fans an even bigger reason to be excited.

Fan reaction to the reveal has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing excitement over finally seeing Angel translated into live action after years of only knowing her through animation and merchandise. For a franchise that’s already proven its box office strength, adding one of its most requested characters only raises expectations further.

With a release date locked in and Angel’s live-action debut now confirmed, ‘Lilo & Stitch 2’ has quickly become one of Disney’s most talked-about upcoming releases.

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