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Lilo and Stitch, the early 2000s Disney classic about a lonely girl and her alien dog, is the latest entry in the studio’s storied animated canon to be given the live-action remake treatment. And while it’s easy to bemoan the remakes as cynical cash-grabs, and I definitely have thoughts on remaking this film in particular that we’ll get to later, I prefer to think of them as an opportunity to revisit beloved past works now that they’re fresh on our minds again.

So, let’s take this aforementioned opportunity to look back at the original Lilo and Stitch over twenty years after its original theatrical release. How well does it hold up? Why is it so beloved to so many people, myself included? And what, if anything, can be gained from remaking it? Let’s find out.

And check out our review of Lilo & Stitch (2025) here.

Three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and me crying over Experiment 626 embracing his new life as Stitch. And it is this certainty that will assure the fact that Disney is going to have to build a new vault to store all of the money they're about to make off of their live-action reimagining of "Lilo & Stitch." After the poor box office performance of the plagued-with-controversy adaptation of "Snow White," Disney needed a win. Make no mistake, they're going to win big, and it has nothing to do with whether or not their latest live-action venture is "good." People love that throaty-voiced, blue, koala-dog alien, and unlike the seven nightmarish dwarfs magical creatures, he translates perfectly into realistic CGI.

This live-action version is actually the sixth movie in the franchise, in addition to the two seasons of the hit animated series. It's also the second-best movie in the franchise,...

For me, Lilo & Stitch (2002) isn’t just a movie, it’s a core memory. From chaos and wholesomeness, to bawling over “ohana means family”—it just feels like pure magic. So, when I heard Disney’s cooking up a live-action remake in 2025, to bring back the menacing alien and the quirky queen, I was basically mind-blown.

I mean, imagine all that wild energy with real beaches, upgraded visuals, and maybe even better Elvis Presley vibes. I seriously have high hopes for this film, which I believe is poised to be iconic for four reasons. One of them is obviously Stitch’s return in live-action to cause more mayhem. Duh! So, buckle up—it’s about to get Experiment 626-level wild.

1. The story is evergreen with potential

If I’m being honest, people often talk about family-oriented Disney films, and yet somehow skip Lilo & Stitch. Like I’ve heard people discussing Moana,...

As the live remake of Lilo & Stitch is set to premiere on May 23, viewers may want to watch the original 2002 film. The trailer for live action remake gave viewers a glimpse on what to expect in the film that has a run time of 148 minutes.

However, did you know there is a Lilo & Stitch: The Series that Disney Channel created? This show was running from 2003-2006 and has 65 episodes. The show itself was a TV sequel to the 2002 movie Lilo & Stitch.

Viewers should also watch the 2003 film Stitch! The Movie before watching Lilo & Stitch: The Series as the film serves as a prequel to the series. In Stitch! The Movie introduces Dr. Jacques von Hamsterviel, Jumba's old partner at the lab, who wishes to use the other experiments for evil intentions.

Jumba has put over 600 of the experiemnts in dehydrated pod form, which activates on contact with water.

A popular collection of lifestyle items recently returned to Studio Ghibli's official online shop. Anime fans gearing up for their first spring outings can travel in style with special tote bags and lanyards depicting their favorite characters from My Neighbor Totoro, Howl'sMoving Castle, Spirited Away and Kiki's Delivery Service.

As featured on Donguri Sora, Ghibli's themed tote bags are soft, cotton-polyester canvas bags featuring designs based on famous moments from each of the aforementioned films. For instance, the "Your Name is Totoro!" bag depicts Mei and Totoro's first meeting inside the latter's character's tree. Kiki's "Departure Day" tote bag similarly tributes the scene where Kiki packs her things to prepare for her year-long training trip. Each bag contains a single, large pocket designed to fit A4-size documents and other school/work-related materials. The four corresponding cardholders (sold separately) feature matching colors and back designs. Cute character icons also...

This Memorial Day, Disney will welcome a familiar face to theaters for fans who grew up knowing "ohana means family." Lilo & Stitch are hitting the big screen in live-action on May 23, bringing the titular little blue alien's chaotic ways to a new format for a whole new generation. The House of Mouse has been quickly building hype for its latest remake, with a series of promos once again warping Stitch into the worlds of the studio's other iconic worlds, from Aladdin to Cinderella and, of course, The Lion King. As part of Collider's Exclusive Preview event for summer movies, we can now share another image ahead of the release that further teases the mayhem to come when Stitch is let loose.

Lilo & Stitch will stick close to the story of the 2002 original animated sci-fi comedy, which followed the lonely young Hawaiian girl Lilo (Maia Kealoha) and her sister, Nani...

World Rat Day, which falls on the Fourth of April, hopes to dispel the myths surrounding these common and misunderstood rodents. Meanwhile, John Lafia’s The Rats does the exact opposite — it’s designed to exploit our fear and discomfort. And that it does in every inch of its tawdry yet satisfying story of extreme infestation. This 2002 straight-to-television movie doesn’t go beyond the call of your basic creature feature, namely ones of the rat variety, but it does a better job of delivering that sense of crawly familiarity than most.

Originally slated for a mid-September premiere in 2001, The Rats (formerly known as The Colony) was pushed back a year, on account of the 9/11 terrorist attack. Shots of the World Trade Center were subsequently removed from this Fox-aired TV-movie; that opening scene of rats festering inside the head of the Statue of Liberty remained intact, only now a bit emptier...

Written and directed by legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away is a 2001 Studio Ghibli production that quickly turned into the studio’s crowning glory. It’s a timeless coming-of-age film that details 10-year-old Chihiro Ogino’s accidental journey into the spirit world, where she learns the importance of independence and gains the courage to brave the challenges of growing up and facing change.

Spirited Away is both Miyazaki’s and Studio Ghibli’s most successful film worldwide. However, it’s not numbers that make a movie into a masterpiece. The writing, visuals, characters, and overall flawless execution of a story that touched the hearts of millions is what earned Spirited Away its seat as an everlasting favorite among anime fans across the globe.

Related 10 Most Feel-Good Spirited Away Moments Studio Ghibli Fans Will Never Forget

Spirited Away has some of the most feel-good scenes in any Studio Ghibli film. Chihiro...

Disney is famous for creating beloved animated classics that audiences want to return to again and again. Many people find a lot of comfort in Disney's style, with its bright colors, iconic music and warm emotional morals. A big part of comfort is nostalgia, so people will all have their own favorites, but there are some Disney animated movies which are better suited to cheering people up in their lowest moments.

A good comfort movie should be easy to engage with. Disney often manages to provide some relatively low stakes drama that still delivers a heartwarming message about family, friendship or life in general. Some of the studio's most comforting classics also have plenty of breezy humor to distract people, and some emotional songs for a cathartic release. The best Disney animated movies can break someone's heart and put it back together again.

Lilo & Stitch (2002) Lilo & Stitch Is...

In 2002, The Ring did more than just entertain—it left a mark on the collective consciousness, forever changing how we view the horror. As audiences braced themselves for the next jump scare, a little girl named Samara Morgan, with her haunting white dress and long, wet hair, slithered her way into the nightmares of millions. And at the heart of this terror was the actress, Daveigh Chase, whose portrayal of the eerie child was so gripping that, it’s still sending chills down spines today.

Daveigh Chase in The Ring (2002) | Credit: DreamWorks Pictures

Samara wasn’t just a creepy character—she became a horror icon. The real shocker, though, was how the then-12-year-old actress won Best Villain at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards, beating icons like Mike Myers, Colin Farrell, Willem Dafoe, and Daniel Day-Lewis.

The biggest twist wasn’t just the actress’ award win, but a backstage moment that...

The Ring's ending provides one of the most memorable scares in horror movie history, but that often distracts from the bleakness of the story's conclusion. Based on Koji Suzukis novel and Hideo Nakatas Japanese adaptation of the same name, Gore Verbinskis The Ring was a hugely influential horror film of the early 21st century that inspired a flood of Hollywood projects that took influence from the booming Japanese horror movie industry. Apart from that legacy, The Ring is able to stand on its own as a terrific entry in the genre with an unforgettable ending.

The movie follows Rachel (Naomi Watts), a journalist looking into the legend of a videotape that's said to cause the death of anyone who watches it within seven days. Rachel explores the history surrounding the tape and, ultimately, watches it herself. Unfortunately, just as it becomes clear that the legend is no mere ghost story,...

Daveigh Chase, best known for her role as the hauntingly unforgettable Samara Morgan in The Ring, began her acting career long before stepping into the well of horror cinema that would define her career. Even as a young child, Chase showed a remarkable talent for performing, appearing in commercials and lending her voice to characters in animated projects. Her early career was marked by versatility, from television appearances to roles in incredible indie thrillers like Donnie Darko, showcasing a breadth of talent that promised a bright future in the entertainment industry.

Her breakthrough role came in 2002 with The Ring, a supernatural horror film that became a cultural phenomenon. In this film, Chase portrayed Samara Morgan, a character whose chilling presence and unforgettable look helped cement the movie's place in horror lore. The role of Samara showcased Chase's ability to convey intense emotion and haunting menace despite her young age, making...

Having Donnie Darko explained involves unknotting the movies complex timeline and doing so reveals the hidden meaning of the film. Released in 2001, Donnie Darko was a lot of different things to different viewers. The film is simultaneously an early vehicle for future superstar Jake Gyllenhaal, the directorial debut of mercurial genius Richard Kelly, and a hybrid of teen drama, science fiction, small-town mystery, and fantasy. The meaning of Donnie Darko combines difficult-to-explain alternate universes with time travel and some truly surreal symbolism.

It's a very surreal and strange movie, and this is epitomized by its finale, but that doesn't mean there's no meaning behind Donnie Darko. The film uses a lot of 80s' pop culture detritus, which creates a foggy, nostalgic atmosphere, making the ending all the more confusing for first-time viewers. Add in vortexes and mysterious talking rabbits and viewers are left with many questions. Over two decades since its release,...

Although Disney Channel has existed since 1983, its slate of original programming only dates back as far as the late '90s, when the concept of Disney Channel Originals started to rise -- gradually overtaking the syndicated shows that originally took up most of the programming grid. In other words, the story of Disney Channel in the 2000s is the very story of how Disney's official TV hub came into its own as a brand.

If you look at the network's original shows from this period, there's a fascinating trajectory from tentative experiments at the turn of the century to more famous, more consolidated hits in the late 2000s, with both the Disney Channel sitcom and the Disney Channel original cartoon taking shape in real time as the institutions they now are. Though it's sometimes held in lower critical esteem than rivals like Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, Disney Channel put out...

Lilo & Stitch director Chris Sanders couldn't be happier that the 2002 animated movie has continued to resonate with Disney fans more than 20 years later. While promoting his new animated feature The Wild Robot, Sanders who is also the voice actor for Stitch opened up about the staying power of the franchise's beloved titular characters.

During an interview with Collider, Sanders touched on the franchise's legacy and returning as the voice of Stitch in the upcoming live-action remake. "I like that the story and the characters have endured. It was my wish that the story and characters would have staying power, and I'm really glad that they have," he said. "I've never stopped doing the voice. I do it for all the different stage shows and parades and everything, and it's nice to, several times a year, be able to revisit that character."

Related Frozen 3 & 4 Receive an Exciting Update

Disney Animation...

Deena Cortese felt she was looking like an iconic horror movie character before she upgraded her look.

The Jersey Shore star is prepping for the second half of MTV’s Family Vacation Season 7 spinoff series, featuring her pals Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Angelina Pivarnick, and other castmates.

As iconic reality TV stars, they all like to look their best, whether through cosmetic upgrades or other means. Some of the MTV OGs even seem to be aging in reverse in terms of their appearance.

Taking to Instagram on Saturday, Deena revealed she recently had her hair done by the White Opal Hair Company.

She shared a two-photo carousel post, with the first photo showing her smiling at the salon after having her done and the second showing how it looked before.

Fans reacted to Deena’s update, with some seeming to have mixed opinions about her change and...

Though the anime industry at large and Studio Ghibli films are produced and made in the same nation, neither could be more different. Ghibli fans may share Director Hayao Miyazaki's harsh sentiments on anime, but anime fans would push back with the good sides of the industry. Regardless of the culture, there are benefits to serialized stories as opposed to films and anime takes full advantage, producing the most detailed and inspiring stories.

Even the shortest anime series can be profound and carry layers of detail and meaning. Impressively, the limited run-time of films can do the same but in more subtle ways. Studio Ghibli films have amazed viewers with new open worlds to explore, the most beloved characters, and unexpected twists on romance and fantasy. As incredible as these films are, one title that could benefit from a deeper look into its setting, characters, themes, and genres is Spirited Away.

Lilo & Stitch is coming back in 2025, and there are good reasons this is one Disney live-action adaptation we're looking forward to!

Disney has been on a tear in the last decade with live-action adaptations of past Disney animated films. While some may slam them as inferior compared to the originals, the box office successes of Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Little Mermaid show there is an audience for them. True, some have been less than stellar (Pinocchio), and hopes for the upcoming Snow White are low, to say the least.

Yet Lilo & Stitch is different. The 2002 film was arguably the last great hand-drawn animated Disney film, grossing $273 million. It spawned its own cartoon series spin-off, the Stitch's Great Escape ride at Disney World and the character is still popular. So having it join the live-action trend seems inevitable and there's reasons to be excited for it.

Watching a movie is one of the easiest forms of audio-visual entertainment today, requiring viewers to simply click a few buttons, pop in a DVD, or buy a theater ticket. Movies are fantastic for any occasion, meaning theyre always in high demand, and studios will probably always have a market for them. Despite modern accessibility and stable demand, films often get labeled failures or flops, even if people love them.

Making a movie is obviously more complicated than just enjoying it. Simply put, a few factors are working to determine whether its successful. For some, critic reviews rank high on that list, especially when heading out to watch a movie, as many look towards reviews to see if its worth the trouble of leaving the house. With the money aspect, a film is a success if it earns a profit. While sometimes, a movie can still be successful if it breaks even,...

Disney's live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch has big shoes to fill, with a strong cast and promises of heartwarming storytelling. The talented voice cast includes Chris Sanders, who reprises his role as Stitch, and Maia Kealoha as Lilo for an authentic portrayal. Fans eagerly anticipate the official design of Stitch in the live-action adaptation, teased by D23's recent reveal.

In recent years, the lovable, genetically engineered alien Experiment 626, better known to the world as Stitch, has become a huge moneymaker for Disney even more now than when the animated movie Lilo & Stitch was released back in 2002. With a live-action remake currently filming, the popularity of the fuzzy blue-and-purple character will be a huge part of the movies success, and those awaiting the first look at Stitch can now get one, up close and personal. Disney revealed their CGI stitch for the live-action movie on Friday at D23; check it out below.

Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.

Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!

Us: The Complete Annotated Screenplay by Jordan Peele

Us: The Complete Annotated Screenplay by Jordan Peele will be published on October 11 via Inventory Press, who previously released a similar book for Get Out.

Priced at $19.95, the 208-page softcover book illustrates Peele’s script with over 150 stills from the film, deleted scenes, in-depth annotations, and an introduction by Peele.

It includes writing by Hannah Baer, Theaster Gates, Jamieson Webster, Jared Sexton, Mary Ping, Shana Redmond, and Leila Taylor, alongside excerpts from Naomi Klein, Coleson Whitehead, Maggie Nelson, Carol J. Clover, Michael Harrington, and Paul Laurence Dunbar.

Puppet Master: Leach Woman Figure & Toulon’s Trunk from Neca

Neca will release a Puppet Master ultimate action figure two-pack...

Chris Sanders' and Dean De Blois' 2002 animated film "Lilo & Stitch" was released by Disney and was part of what might be considered a "low" period in the studio's history. Disney had a series of bangers in the 1990s, a period often referred to as the Disney Renaissance. That period came to an end in 2000 with the release of "Dinosaur," however, a technology experiment featuring life-like dinosaurs realized in CGI. That was followed by multiple expensive bombs, one right after the other, and almost all the films (from "Fantasia 2000" in 2000 through to "Bolt" in 2008) were costly misfires.

Only two from the period stand out. Mark Dindal's slapstick comedy "The Emperor's New Groove" and "Lilo & Stitch." The latter is deeply beloved by the children who saw it in 2002, and appreciate both its warmth and its weirdo edge.

"Lilo & Stitch" is a riff on "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," wherein a young child,...

"Lilo & Stitch" has a hidden horror connection with a voice actress from "The Ring." The movies "Lilo & Stitch" and "The Ring" were both released in the same year. Voice actress Daveigh Chase has continued her acting career after appearing in "Lilo & Stitch" and "The Ring."

One of the most popular and beloved Disney animated movies of the 2000s is Lilo & Stitch, and despite being a family-friendly movie, it has a hidden horror connection that most viewers probably dont know about. In 2002, Disney released Lilo & Stitch, an animated sci-fi comedy directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. Lilo & Stitch was a critical and box-office success, and its considered one of the highlights of the studio in its post-Disney Renaissance era. Lilo & Stitch spawned a franchise, but the first movie is still quite popular and has a loyal fanbase.

Lilo & Stitch took viewers to Hawaii to meet Lilo,...

Iconic horror film The Ring is moving to 4K Ultra HD in a brand new Steelbook release from Paramount Home Media Distribution. According to Blu-ray.com, fans of Gore Verbinski's 2001 feature can look forward to the upcoming release, which is scheduled to arrive on the physical media market later this fall on October 15, 2024. The film stars Oscar-nominee Naomi Watts as Rachel Keller, Martin Henderson as Noah Clay, David Dorfman as Aidan Keller, Brian Cox as Richard Morgan, and Daveigh Chase as the haunting Samara Morgan. The Ring was first theatrically released to the United States on October 18, 2002, by DreamWorks Pictures. The film was a clear success at the box office, grossing over $249.3 million globally on a comparatively minimal budget of around $48 million. At the time, The Ring became one of the highest-grossing horror remakes ever made. The Ring sits at a comfortable Tomatometer score of 71% on Rotten Tomatoes. Following the success of The Ring,...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most talked about and controversial topics of our time as it is quickly being developed by organizations like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google. People are afraid that it will take their jobs and in some cases it already has, it was also a big part of the 2023 writers and actors strike but don’t forget that AI has also been the topic of some of the greatest films ever made more recently it became the main villain in Tom Cruise‘s action-adventure film Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1. So, we compiled a list of the 10 best films featuring AI that show us artificial intelligence in different lights including villainous and sympathetic roles.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence Credit – Warner Bros.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence is a sci-fantasy film written and directed by Steven Spielberg. Based on a 1969 short story titled Supertoys Last All Summer Long by author Brian Aldiss,...

Lilo believes Pudge controls the weather, and feeds him to prevent more tragedies. A theory suggests Lilo thinks Pudge caused her parents' deaths, who died in a car crash on a stormy night. A deleted scene in Lilo & Stitch enhances the tragic theory by showing Pudge's fate.

Lilo & Stitch is one of Disneys most emotional movies, and one theory makes it sadder by giving a tragic twist to one of its most memorable scenes. In 2002, Disney brought the animated sci-fi comedy-drama movie Lilo & Stitch, written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. Lilo & Stitch tells an original story instead of being an adaptation of previously released media, and it became a highlight of the studios post-Disney Renaissance era. Lilo & Stitch took the audience to Hawaii to meet Lilo (voiced by Daveigh Chase), an orphaned young girl living with her teenage sister, Nani (Tia Carrere).

Parallel to...

Quick Links Chihiro Needed More Than Just Luck And Direction Lin Is More Than Just A Side Character Lin's Greatest Lesson Is At The Core of The Story Lin Also Has An Important Lesson To Learn

Throughout the decades of Studio Ghibli films, only certain characters remain iconic. These are the most recognizable characters who are given a spotlight from the beginning to the end of the movie. Typically, this doesn't include the side characters. Granted, side characters are given that label for a reason -- it's rare for them to overshadow the protagonist -- but some of Ghibli's side characters carry significant roles that are often overlooked.

While this is already a conversation in various online forums, the most underrated Studio Ghibli character is Lin from Spirited Away. Throughout the film's story, the protagonist Chihiro goes through incredible growth as she survives being trapped in a spirit realm and separated from her parents.

Studio Ghibli is one of the world's most famous and beloved movie studios. It is responsible for many iconic films, including Howl's Moving Castle, From Up on Poppy Hill, and My Neighbor Totoro. Due to this enduring popularity, several of the firm's most popular titles have been acquired by international distributors who have created English-dubbed versions of the movies.

Ghibli films often get some of the world's most famous English-speaking actors to voice the characters. However, dubbing is tricky, and while some Studio Ghibli dubs are excellent, others don't do the original films justice. But which Studio Ghibli dubs are worth watching, and which are better left on the shelf?

Related One Spirited Away Fan Theory Claims the Film Isn't the Innocent Children's Story We Thought It Was Spirited Away may seem like an innocent film. But one fan theory turns the film on its head. Disney's Spirited Away Changes...

In September 2022, Studio Ghibli's coming-of-age masterpiece, Spirited Away, premiered in theaters throughout North America. Now, Fathom Events is kicking off its annual Ghibli Fest celebration with a fresh round of screenings for the beloved film.

As detailed in a recent press release, Fathom Events and its distribution partner, Gkids, will present screenings of Spirited Away at participating U.S. theaters from April 27 to May 1. As part of Ghibli Fest 2024, audiences will have the opportunity to view the film in its original Japanese version (with English subtitles) or watch the Disney-produced English dub starring Daveigh Chase (Chihiro Ogino), Jason Marsden (Haku), Suzanne Pleshette (Yubaba) and David Odgen Stires (Kamaji). Screenings will also include a special behind-the-scenes featurette about Studio Ghibli's theme park in Nagoya, Japan. The complete list of theater dates and times is listed below. According to the release, all time slots are equivalent to regional and local times.

Moesko Island in The Ring is full of eerie history surrounding Samara's tragic past. Filmed at Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, the location adds to the film's spooky atmosphere with real ghost stories. The Ring's legacy continues with iconic moments, A-list acting, and a terrifying premise that still delivers scares.

Moesko Island is an important location in the 2002 adaptation of The Ring and, it turns out that where it was filmed has a history creepy enough to make its own movie. Over two decades old, The Ring continues to hold up and deliver scares thanks to its terrifying premise, A-list acting from Naomi Watts and Brian Cox, and eerie direction from Gore Verbinski. Samara (Daveigh Chase), the glowing circle found on the cursed video screen, and one of the most horrifying facial expressions ever are a few of the movie's moments that have entered the annals of scary movie legend.

There are few films that offer as much nostalgic serotonin as Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois’ Lilo & Stitch which, released in 2002, had to make some very urgent revisions to its climactic chase scene as a result of the September 11 attack of 2001. Now, I know what you’re thinking… Lilo & Stitch and 9/11? What on Earth could they possibly have in common? Well, that would have been significantly clearer had they stuck to their original ending, where instead of chasing down Captain Gantu (Kevin Michael Richardson) and a kidnapped Lilo (Daveigh Chase) in Jumba’s (David Ogden) spaceship through the gorgeous Kaua’i mountains, he chased them down in a hijacked Boeing 747 through the vibrant cityscape of Honolulu.

A new set video offers a first look at the Disney characters in live-action for the Lilo & Stitch remake. The video shows crew members preparing a shot in Hawaii for the remake. Maia Kealoha plays Lilo in the video, alongside an adorable stand-in for Stitch in the car.

Following various setbacks to its production, a new set video from the Lilo & Stitch remake has offered the first look at the Disney characters in live-action.

Nearly a year after filming was first set to begin, TikTok user @paulinapullara revealed a set video from the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake. The video shows various crew members working on a public street in Hawaii, preparing a shot for which the titular young girl and alien are driving around in a ride-on convertible car. The video also reveals the first look at Maia Kealoha as Lilo, while Stitch can be seen represented with an...

Sci-fi allows filmmakers to explore mind-bending concepts and twist reality, resulting in unforgettable and surreal viewing experiences. Not all sci-fi movies take advantage of the genre's potential for bizarre storytelling, but there are plenty of trippy sci-fi films that engage with the genre's furthest reaches. These movies range from psychedelic masterpieces that challenge the audience's perception of reality to nightmares that delve into the depths of human existence.

While there are plenty of accessible sci-fi blockbusters, the genre is also home to some of the trippiest movies in cinema history. As a genre, sci-fi grants creators a unique level of freedom to get weird. The impossibly vast expanses of space, the endless possibilities of the future, and the tricky, reality-bending speculation involved in imagined scientific innovations all mean that the sci-fi genre is perfectly suited to stories that mess with the audience’s minds. Even though the genre has offered...

There are few directors of animated films who have managed to become as well-known as Hayao Miyazaki. Among the contenders for his greatest film is Spirited Away, released in 2001. It is set in a bathhouse for spirits and follows a young girl named Chihiro (Rumi Hiiragi/Daveigh Chase), who accidentally becomes trapped there. The film captivated audiences and critics, and it frequently appeared on lists of the greatest animated movies ever made.

Hayao Miyazaki's mystifying animated film Spirited Away made its debut over 20 years ago. Written by Miyazaki and inspired by the 10-year-old daughter of a close friend, Spirited Away follows Chihiro, voiced in the original Japanese by Rumi Hiiragi (Netto Koshien) and in English by Daveigh Chase (Lilo & Stitch), down the Japanese Shinto folklore spirit realm known as Kami. To save her parents from the powerful witch Yubaba, voiced by Mari Natsuki (Nobuta o Produce) and Suzanne Pleshette (The Birds), Chihiro will face more than any story's typical trials along the way: She will face herself.

Despite what Hollywood wants us to believe, not every movie ever made needs a sequel. This did not stop the studios from trying their hardest to churn them out, leaving movie fans with only one solution: forget the sequel exists. It’s a useful technique, but, ironically, it doesn’t work on the worst films. We can say to each other, for example, that Highlander II: The Quickening never happened all we want. In our broken, battered souls though, we know it exists. And it sucks so much. The memory endures, like a cinematic kidney stone.

Trying to forget works best on sequels so middling, or cynically shoveled out that there’s not much for our memories to grab on to. If we do remember them, it’s with a befuddled “how the hell did that happen?” or a “they got A-list actors for that?” kind of awe. And then we forget about them again.

Clockwise from left: The Departed (Warner Bros.), True Lies (20th Century Studios), Some Like It Hot (United Artists), 12 Monkeys (Universal)Graphic: The A.V. Club

Of all the challenges in the moviemaking universe, redoing a beloved foreign film for an American audience would seem pretty low on the list. You already...

Sinister is one of the best horror movies of the 2010s, and is perhaps one of the scariest to come out of that decade. The Ethan Hawke-led horror movie shares a lot of similarities with the 2002 horror movie The Ring, making hard to imagine that the former could even exist without the other. Ten years before Bughuul (Nick King) began haunting families and spooking people with disturbing Super 8 films, Samara Morgan (Daveigh Chase) was crank-calling people with the common threat of giving folks seven days to live. The shared aesthetic and storytelling choices between these two make for a surefire slam dunk of a grim, disturbing, and eerie horror double feature. In fact, Sinister's writer, C. Robert Cargill, was inspired (and terrified) after seeing the Naomi Watts horror movie.

Many on-screen horror stories are inspired by real-life events or legends, such as The Town That Dreaded Sundown and The Watcher. But what is arguably one of the most influential origin stories is the one behind The Ring, which has seen multiple books and films surrounding the creepy VHS tape of a young girl with long, black hair. While the ghost story that inspired this classic horror film and its subsequent sequels is not about a cursed videotape, it does mirror the young girl, Sadako/Samara's (Daveigh Chase), tragic backstory.

Before starring as Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla,” Jacob Elordi was only familiar with the King of Rock and Roll from Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch.”

During a recent appearance on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon,” Elordi sat down to discuss his role in the film, which centers on the life of Priscilla Presley (Cailee Spaeny) and her relationship with Elvis.

“The most I knew of Elvis was in ‘Lilo & Stitch,'” Elordi admitted. “Which is a lot, by the way.”

“Lilo & Stitch” follows Lilo (Daveigh Chase) and her friendship with an extraterrestrial creature she meets on the island of Hawaii, whom she names Stitch (Chris Sanders). Lilo, an avid Elvis Presley fan, teaches Stitch how to become a “model citizen” like the singer and, at one point, dresses Stitch up in a Presley-inspired ensemble. The 2002 animated film also features five of Presley’s hits,...

Some may be surprised to learn that Jacob Elordi didn’t know much about Elvis Presley before portraying the legendary music figure in Priscilla.

While appearing on Monday’s episode of The Tonight Show, the Euphoria actor admitted to host Jimmy Fallon that “The most I knew of Elvis was in Lilo & Stitch. … Which is a lot.”

During the 2002 animated film, Lilo (Daveigh Chase), who is a big fan of Presley, slowly converts her adopted pet alien, Stitch (Chris Sanders), into a diehard fan of the King of Rock and Roll. The film’s soundtrack also features several of the musician’s hit songs, including “Burning Love,” “Suspicious Minds” and “Hound Dog.”

As for taking on the famous singer, Elordi noted that it was a “little bit terrifying.” The actor said he also didn’t feel very confident when he initially auditioned for the Sofia Coppola-directed film, which follows...

Gore Verbinski's blue-soaked, melancholic "The Ring" incited a wave of J-horror stateside upon its release in 2002. A new century always brings new horror rules, and for the early part of this century, those rules mandated imported ghosties with tragic, complex backstories. Unlike most horror remakes, especially J-horror remakes, Verbinski's "The Ring" is arguably stronger than Hideo Nakata's original, no small feat given Nakata's status as one of this generation's premier Japanese horror auteurs. Post-millennium anxiety, digital unease, and swelling domestic discontent coalesced into more than hospitable conditions for "The Ring" to not just succeed, but succeed remarkably. $249 million worldwide isn't bad by any metric.

Beyond Verbinski's assured control of the material, the cast of new and familiar faces helped augment "The Ring's" most enduring scares. While Naomi Watts might be front and center, Daveigh Chase's contributions as chief baddie Samara Morgan cannot be overstated. With a dense,...

The iconic quote "Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten" reflects the heartfelt theme of family sticking together in Lilo & Stitch. The humorous quote about mosquitoes being an endangered species on Earth adds a ridiculous and funny element to the story. Stitch's quote about his "little and broken" family shows his emotional growth and how Lilo and Nani have influenced him to appreciate the value of family.

Disney's Lilo & Stitch is a movie that's all about ohana (family) and whether it's that of Lilo (Daveigh Chase), Stitch (Chris Sanders), Nani (Tia Carrere), Bubbles (Ving Rhames), David (Jason Scott Lee), or even more villainous characters like Dr. Jumba Jookiba (David Ogden Stiers), and many of the most memorable Lilo & Stitch quotes reflect just that. The dialogue is always giving some interesting insights into the idea of family. The best quotes from Lilo & Stitch are impactful for all members of the family,...

Gore Verbinski’s The Ring led the first wave of early 2000s horror remakes that partially defined the era’s landscape alongside Saw torture-porners and other reactionary post-9/11 subgenres. Granted, remakes have always been a foundational pillar that keeps horror reinventing itself decade after decade — but the 2000s were different. Production companies like Platinum Dunes and Dark Castle Entertainment fixated on updating horror favorites from iconic slashers to Vincent Price oldies, banking on nostalgia as an added profitability measure. It’s curious though, because 2003’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and others get referenced when conversations think back to what started The Great 2000s Remake Avalanche — The Ring somewhat forgotten in these terms.

That could be because The Ring is based on Hideo Nakata’s Japanese adaptation Ringu (aka Ring), an international ghost story less popular with domestic audiences whose first introduction to Koji Suzuki’s 1991 novel was Verbinski’s Americanization.

Hollywood loves nothing more than movie sequels, because they come with ready-made audiences, but they aren't always as popular as the original movie or even remembered at all. If the first installment was widely successful, that can create some very high expectations to live up to, and not every sequel manages it.

Still, many movie studios will choose to make a sequel - even without the original actors or director - in an attempt to cash in on the success of their predecessors. It's a huge risk, and these ventures can end up crashing and burning, creating movie sequels that become critical and financial flops that fall quickly into obscurity.

Related: 10 Movie Sequels That Are Much Less Serious Than The Original

Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)

This sequel saw Dan Aykroyd return to play one-half of the iconic Blues Brothers, who embark on a "mission from God" to save their childhood orphanage and...

"Ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind." Disney's Lilo & Stich so eloquently taught the world this fact in 2002, but despite their definitive statement, the leading sisters, Nani (Tia Carrere) and Lilo (Daveigh Chase), don't live in an undivided nuclear family. In fact, two important members have seemingly already left the rest behind. Nani and Lilo's parents are nowhere to be seen throughout the film. The sisters show each other great loyalty and are determined to remain together, but their family is already broken. The film's plot depends on their parents being gone as Nani attempts to prove that she can care for Lilo despite being so young herself. However, the absence of their parents isn't addressed aside from a mention of a fatal car crash before the events of the film. And, despite the two sequels and a spin-off show about these characters, little is known about the girls' parents.

Disney's remake of Lilo & Stitch cast a mix of familiar and fresh-faced actors to play the live-action versions of its beloved animated characters. One of the rare truly original works from Walt Disney Animation Studios, the original Lilo & Stitch was released in 2002 and was a significant sleeper hit despite its lack of preexisting source material. The theatrical feature spawned three direct-to-video sequels and an animated series on the Disney Channel. Now, as seems obligatory for every animated classic from the studio, Disney is giving Lilo & Stitch the live-action treatment.

This live-action version of Lilo & Stitch joins its counterparts on Disney Plus without heading to theaters first, as has been the case with a number of Disney's live-action remakes. Outside the built-in familiarity with the property, the movie has no big box office draw among its cast members, only one of whom is reprising their role from the original.

Courtney B. Vance has joined the cast of Disney's live-action 'Lilo and Stitch' movie. The 63-year-old star will take on the role of Cobra Bubbles in the forthcoming film, according to Deadline. Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen are already attached to the motion picture, and newcomer Maia Kealoha is expected to portray Lilo. It's not yet known how the upcoming film will compare to the 2002 animated science fiction comedy-drama film and the subsequent cartoon TV series.'Lilo and Stitch' tells the story of a six-year-old Hawaiian girl named Lilo Pelekai, who is raised by her 19-year-old sister Nani after their parents died in a car accident, and a blue extra-terrestrial animal-like creature called Experiment 626, who is adopted by Lilo as her dog and renamed Stitch. Bubbles was voiced by Ving Rhames in the original movie and several spin-offs, as well as TV show 'Lilo and Stitch: The Series'.

Zach Galifianakis has been cast in Disney’s live-action “Lilo & Stitch” feature, TheWrap has confirmed. We’ve heard he will be playing Pleakley, the alien character originally voiced by Kevin McDonald and animated by Ruben A. Aquino.

Dean Fleischer Camp, the Oscar-nominated director of last year’s “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” will be directing the new adaptation. Originally, Jon M. Chu was on board to direct but exited in 2020; that version of the movie had a script by Mike Van Waes. It’s unclear if that version of the screenplay will be utilized for this version. Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, who produced the live-action “Aladdin” for Disney (which grossed more than 1 billion worldwide), are aboard as producers.

The original film, released in 2002, was written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. The film followed an extraterrestrial experiment (voiced by Sanders) who escapes his cosmic prison...

The Lilo & Stitch live-action remake has made a huge casting announcement with the addition of The Hangover's Zach Galifianakis. The upcoming film from Marcel the Shell with Shoes On director Dean Fleischer Camp is the latest live-action update to classic animated works from the Disney canon. It will bring to life the story of the 2002 film, which followed a young Hawaiian girl named Lilo (Daveigh Chase) who adopted what she thought was a dog that turns out to be a destructive genetic experiment gone wrong that has escaped from a facility in outer space.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Zach Galifianakis has been cast in a lead role in the Lilo & Stich live-action film. The actor, who is best known for his roles in the Hangover film franchise and the oddball comedy series Baskets, hasn't held a role in a live-action feature since 2019's The Sunlit Night. While the role itself is unspecified,...