We're starting to get more and more casting details about Disney's planned live-action/CG re-working of 2002's Lilo & Stitch and a big component has fallen into place. Chris Sanders, who co-directed the original movie, and voiced alien critter Stitch, is back to provide his odd babbling once again.
Sanders is not back in the director's chair for this one –– that duty falls to Marcel The Shell With Shoes On's Dean Fleischer Camp, but Sanders' involvement is at least a positive sign. The new film has also made room for returning cast members Tia Carrere, who voiced Nani, Lilo's older sister in the original, and who will show up as a new character called Mrs. Kekoa, while Amy Hill (Mrs. Hasagawa in the 2002 entry) will play another new person called Tūtū.
There was a minor casting snafu surrounding the choice of actor for the role of David Kawena (Nani's boyfriend in the story). According to The Hollywood Reporter, while Kahiau Machado was cast last week, but has since been recast with Kaipot Dudoit after racist posts were discovered in Machado's social media feed.
The new movie, which will likely follow the same story of a young Hawaiian girl (newcomer Maia Kealoha) and her friendship with the strange alien creature she names Stitch, also features Zach Galifianakis voicing Jumba, with Billy Magnussen playing Pleakley and Courtney B. Vance as CIA agent-turned-social worker Cobra Bubbles.
Camp is directing the film now in Hawaii and the movie is intended to debut on Disney+ in May next year.