‘Lilo & Stitch’ Sequel Set Video Shows Angel and Stitch Stand-Ins on Location in Hawaii

Few Disney remakes found as warm a welcome as the live-action ‘Lilo & Stitch’. The 2025 film turned a Hawaiian story about family into a global phenomenon, grossing more than $1 billion and becoming the highest-grossing live-action and animated hybrid ever. Now the ‘Lilo & Stitch’ sequel is in production, and fans are already tracking every glimpse from the islands.

That success came despite mixed reviews from critics. The movie opened with $182.6 million over its domestic Memorial Day weekend, far beyond early expectations for a project once planned for streaming. Disney announced a follow-up on June 26, a playful nod to Stitch’s original name, Experiment 626.

The newest sign of progress comes from a short video of the set. Shot by a local bystander and shared by Reel News Hawaii, the clip shows the stand-in versions of Angel and Stitch, one pink and one blue, standing on a sidewalk as crew members work around a camera setup. It’s a fleeting moment, but it gives fans their first moving look at Angel on a live-action set.

Lilo and Angel on the set of ‘Lilo & Stitch 2’ Credit: Nancy L./via: @reelnewshawaii https://t.co/FkIkrW6kuU

— Pop Off (@PopOffShow) October 30, 2026

Principal photography began on October 14 on Oahu, according to reports, following a blessing ceremony at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu. Maia Kealoha, who plays Lilo, Sydney Agudong, who plays Nani, and Amy Hill, who plays Tutu, were among those who attended. Hawaii Governor Josh Green also spoke, thanking Disney for continuing to invest in the islands.

The ceremony underlined how central the setting is to the franchise. Local reports have placed some of the filming at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and its lagoon in Waikiki, and other photos from the shoot show Lilo wearing her handmade rag doll as a backpack. Keeping the production in Hawaii preserves the island atmosphere that made the first film so popular with audiences.

Angel is the big addition to the story. She’s Experiment 624, a pink alien like Stitch, and her live-action debut was announced at the D23 fan event in August, where Kealoha took the stage looking for Stitch. Fans have been curious about how the character will be brought to life ever since.

The figures in the video are only stand-ins. Both Angel and Stitch will be created with CGI in the finished movie, so the physical props give actors and crew something to work with on location. Earlier set photos showed the pair sitting on a counter surrounded by fishing poles, with Stitch wearing a tiny fishing hat.

Kealoha has teased how their relationship might play out, saying she thinks Stitch and Angel will have a great bond, similar to the one between her and Agudong. That points toward a family-style connection rather than anything romantic, which fits the franchise’s emphasis on ohana.

This time, original co-director Chris Sanders is in charge. He’s writing and directing the film, and he also continues to voice Stitch, as he did in the first movie. Jonathan Eirich returns as producer, with Ryan Halprin as executive producer, while Dean Fleischer Camp, who directed the 2025 remake, is not helming the follow-up.

Sanders’ involvement is a major selling point for longtime fans. He co-created the 2002 animated classic, and having him steer the sequel suggests a deep understanding of the characters. The cast from the first film is also expected to return, including Kealoha and Agudong, with the earlier movie’s ensemble featuring Billy Magnussen as Pleakley, Zach Galifianakis as Jumba and Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles.

Disney is targeting a theatrical release in May 2028, which leaves plenty of time for post-production and visual effects. Because so much of the film depends on digital characters, that schedule gives the studio room to polish Stitch and Angel.

For now, the set video is a small but charming reminder that the production is moving forward. Between the Hawaiian locations, the new alien and the return of the original creator, the sequel has plenty to look forward to. And if the stand-ins are any indication, the final CGI versions should be adorable.

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