Disney’s Latest Live-Action Remake Hits Record-Breaking Premiere, Ranks as 2nd Biggest Yet
Disney’s live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch” has taken the platform by storm, becoming the second biggest Disney live-action premiere on Disney+, only behind “The Little Mermaid.”
According to Disney’s internal data, the film racked up 14.3 million global views in its first five days. Disney counts a view as total watch time divided by the runtime of the movie.
The new release also sparked renewed interest in the original animated film and related content on Disney+.
The combined viewership of these titles hit 670 million hours worldwide, showing the lasting appeal of the franchise.
In theaters, “Lilo & Stitch” passed $1 billion globally after nearly two months, becoming the second movie of 2025 to reach the milestone, following the Chinese animated hit “Ne Zha 2.” The film also became Disney’s fifth live-action remake to cross the billion-dollar mark, joining “Alice in Wonderland,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King,” and “Aladdin.”
“We knew there was a lot of love for ‘Lilo & Stitch’ with audiences around the world, yet we never take that for granted, and we’re proud of how this new film has connected with people,” Disney co-chairman Alan Bergman said in a statement.
“I’m thankful to our filmmakers, our cast and all on our Studio team who have made this film such a success, and we look forward to more adventures with these characters ahead.”
Fans and audiences responded positively, giving the film an “A” grade on CinemaScore, matching the original animated film.
PostTrak reported a 90% overall positive score, with 81% of viewers saying they would definitely recommend it. Critics were more mixed. Rotten Tomatoes shows a 72% approval rating based on 213 reviews, while Metacritic assigned a score of 53 out of 100, indicating mixed or average reviews. Some critics noted the film recaptured the charm of the original, though not its full imagination.
Certain changes in the live-action version drew criticism. Fans were unhappy with the removal of Pleakley’s drag disguise, Gantu’s absence, changes to Jumba’s character, and Nani giving up guardianship of Lilo.
Director Dean Fleischer Camp and producer Chris Eirich spoke about the possibility of continuing the franchise.
Fleischer Camp emphasized the importance of the right story for a sequel rather than following market demand, and he suggested the idea of an animated spin-off series could also be explored.
On June 26, 2025, officially known as “626 Day” or “Stitch Day,” Disney announced a sequel was in development. Screenwriter Mike Jones will join the project, marking his first involvement beyond voicing Stitch in the original film, and Eirich will return as producer.
The success of “Lilo & Stitch” shows that audiences still love Disney’s classic stories when brought to life in new ways. The billion-dollar box office milestone and massive streaming numbers suggest the franchise still has a strong fan base.
This remake proves Disney can successfully balance nostalgia with fresh storytelling. Fans seem excited for what comes next, and a sequel looks very promising. What do you think about the live-action “Lilo & Stitch”? Share your thoughts in the comments.
