Editor's Note: The following article contains spoilers for Lilo & Stitch.

Few would argue that the live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch is anywhere near as good as the 2002 original. As with most of Disney's attempts to update its animated classics, it's a pale imitation of what was already perfected years earlier, missing the subversive humor and watercolors that made the original pop. Yet, Dean Fleischer Camp's movie -- currently tied with A Minecraft Movie as the top-grossing film of 2025 -- manages to improve on the original in at least one area. The live-action version's ending is a much more appropriate and thematically resonant ending than original audiences received.

The Live-Action 'Lilo & Stitch' Gives Nani a Better End

In Lilo & Stitch, Lilo (Maia Kealoha) is a young Hawaiian girl cared for by her sister, Nani (Sydney Elizabeth Agudong), after the death of their parents. Nani has put her college dreams on hold to be a caretaker and is not mentally or emotionally equipped to parent the precocious and energetic Lilo. To top it off, a social worker (Tia Carrere) is almost out of options to keep them together. Of course, a hyperactive and destructive alien named Stitch upends their lives, but, after some science fiction high jinx, the family helps him reform and is allowed to adopt the otherworldly pet.

In the 2002 version, Stitch is allowed to stay with Lilo and Nani, and the family unit remains unseparated. While the plot beats closely follow the original -- perhaps, as with other remakes, too closely at times -- it leaves Lilo and Nani in different places. In the remake, the social worker can't keep them together, but the kind next-door neighbor, Tutu, and her grandson, David, take in Lilo (and Stitch), allowing her to remain near home, while Nani is able to attend college in San Diego.

The ending was fairly controversial; much of the emotional power of the animated original came from the desire to keep the siblings under the same roof, and some viewers were upset at the new film's choice to separate them. The original's resolution is admittedly a fine and satisfying ending for a kids' film. But while it might lead to the most immediate joy, if it's thought about too long, it's not a happy or sustainable ending for the family.

While taking care of her sister is noble, Nani's not emotionally or fiscally ready for the responsibility. She's still very much a kid herself, and the ending of the original leaves her only with one role to play -- a young mother who will struggle to get by and deal with the emotional needs of a sister still grieving the loss of her parents. The updated ending allows her to pursue her dreams and have time to grow into a better sister and friend for Lilo without losing contact. In fact, the film's post-credit scene reveals that Stitch has held on to one of the portal guns left behind by Jumba (Zach Galifankis) and Pleakley (Billy Magnussen); despite being in different states, the sisters still get to see each other regularly.

The New 'Lilo & Stitch' Expands on the Idea of 'Ohana'

Anyone who's seen either the animated Lilo & Stitch or the update knows that film's key theme is Ohana, or family; "family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten," as the characters say. Lilo & Stitch is a family movie -- both in the sense that it revolves about two sisters, but that it's also about a found family, as Stitch begins to desire a place where he belongs, and his friendship with Lilo allows him to reform.

The remake expands on this idea with the addition of Tutu. In the animated version, David is just a friend and love interest for Nani. Here, he's a neighbor who lives with his grandmother, a woman eager to dispense advice and assistance to Nani, who she sees struggling after the death of her parents. The remake probably has too many characters -- in addition to Tutu, the film adds Tia Carrere (the voice of Nani in the original) as a social worker while still keeping Cobra Bubbles (Courtney B. Vance), here a federal agent instead of an imposing social worker -- but Tutu's a welcome addition. She's an expansion of the theme that Ohana doesn't have to be blood; just as Stitch can be accepted into the family, Nani and Lilo have people who love them who are willing to help them.

By having Tutu assume guardianship of Lilo, the film makes that found family theme explicit. Just as Lilo is a sister to Stitch, despite being from different worlds, Tutu serves as a mother figure for Nani and Lilo. Lilo will grow up in a stable home, and Nani will have opportunities that were otherwise unavailable. The found family ensures that no one -- not even Nani -- is left behind or forgotten.

The Original 'Lilo & Stitch' Remains Untouched

Make no mistake: Lilo & Stitch unfortunately still pales in comparison to the original. While still not the worst of the Disney remakes, it still feels too beholden to repeating beats and lines audiences had already memorized, despite the fact it sands off too many of the rough edges that made the animated Lilo so memorable. It feels like a piece of content to fill a slot on Disney+ -- where it was originally intended to debut -- and it's hard to imagine too many kids choosing this over the original.

Despite all of this, the film was a massive hit, becoming one of the 50 highest-grossing movies of all time, so it's no surprise a live-action sequel is on the way. At least when audiences showed up, they were given an ending that took some chances and created a better story for its beloved characters.

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like Follow Followed Lilo & Stitch PG Family Science Fiction Comedy Adventure 4 10 15 6.9/10 Release Date May 23, 2025 Runtime 108 minutes Director Dean Fleischer Camp Writers Mike Van Waes, Chris Kekaniokalani Bright Producers Dan Lin Cast See All Maia Kealoha Lilo Sydney Agudong Nani

Lilo & Stitch is the story of a lonely Hawaiian girl named Lilo, who befriends a fugitive alien named Stitch. Together, they navigate issues of family and belonging, capturing the heartwarming journey of reconciling a broken family through unexpected companionship.

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