Disney's Lilo and Stitch Live-Action Movie Casts Newcomer Maia Kealoha

The Disney+ live-action adaptation of Lilo and Stitch has found its little human star.

The Hollywood Reporter, following a report in Knight Edge Media, writes that young Hawaiian actress Maia Kealoha has landed the role of Lilo Pelekai. The casting comes after an extensive open call as Disney searched for the remake’s leading role of a girl who adopts a fugitive alien after mistaking it for a dog.

The animated version came out in 2002 from directors Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois; the live-action remake will be helmed by Marcel the Shell With Shoes On director Dean Fleischer Camp, with a script by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright. The film recently added actor Zach Galifianakis to the cast in an unknown role (though we hope he’ll be playing Pleakley); we’re still waiting to see who’ll play the story’s other big role: Lilo’s older sister, Nani.

Lilo and Stitch will be released straight to Disney+, thought we hope it does get some love on the big screen. So far there’s no word on when to expect it.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Comments

14 of Rick and Morty's Most Excellent Season 4 Moments

In episode nine, “Childrick of Mort,” Rick fought a god when they both fell for the same woman. Er, planet. That moment doesn’t make our list, but it’s still a damn good one. Screenshot: Adult Swim It’s still hard to believe—after so many lengthy delays between previous seasons —that season five of Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty is almost upon us. While we count down the moments until the Emmy-winning series returns on June 20, we thought we’d also look back on season four, highlighting 14 of our favorite and most memorable moments (in no particular order... though we do have one very top favorite, as you’ll see) involving mostly Rick and Morty—but also Summer, Beth, Jerry, and Rick and Morty ’s creatively deployed guest stars too. “Why can you talk?” Screenshot: Adult Swim The A-plot of episode four, “Claw and Hoarder: Special Ricktim’s Morty,” follows the adventures of Rick, Morty, and Summer as they attempt to rescue Morty’s “slut dragon,” Balthromaw, from an evil wizard. ...

Websim.AI for AI Building Websites, Games and More From Prompts

Websim.ai is an AI-powered platform that allows users to generate and explore a simulated version of the internet. It uses advanced AI models like Claude 3.5 Sonnet and GPT-4o to create interactive websites, visualizations, and functional code in response to user prompts. Users can sign in with their Google or Discord accounts and input prompts ... Read more

Studio Ghibli Park Unveils Its Wondrous Valley of Witches

Screenshot: Kyodo News/YouTube With the Valley of Witches set to open March 16, Ghibli Park will finally be complete. Since 2022, the attraction—nestled in the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park in Nagoya, Japan—has unlocked realms inspired by Studio Ghibli’s legacy of films . But it’s not to be mistaken for a modern theme park; Hayao Miyazaki himself mandated that the experiences offered at Ghibli Park should evoke being in a Ghibli movie without disturbing the natural surroundings. So it’s more of a throwback to nostalgic attractions and walkthroughs with a carnival ride flair. Inspired by films including My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away, the first phase of opening kicked off two years ago, with other areas opening as they were completed. With the Valley of Witches, which features attractions inspired by Howl’s Moving Castle and Kiki’s Delivery Service, among others, the theme park will finally be open in full beginning March 16. Media outlets such as Kyodo News were able...

Future Stories

Search This Blog