Set to premiere on May 23, nearly 23 years after the original animated classic hit screens, Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch is already stirring major controversy, and not in a good way. Fans are threatening to boycott the remake over the absence of a beloved and iconic element from the 2002 film.
Online criticism is pouring in. One user wrote bluntly: “Every aspect of this new Lilo & Stitch movie looks like utter garbage, so it really shouldn’t be hard to boycott. I WILL be judging very hard if you decide to see it in theaters.”
Another chimed in: “Oh hell no. Boycott Lilo & Stitch 2025.”
A third added: “Sad, but I won’t blame the director. I’ll blame Disney.”
In the original animated film, the alien duo Jumba and Pleakley come to Earth to capture Stitch, a mischievous, genetically engineered alien hiding in Hawaii. One of the standout comedic aspects was Pleakley’s ongoing attempt to blend in with humans, most memorably by dressing in a wig and women’s clothing. It became a fan-favorite moment, known not just for laughs, but for its playful, gender-fluid portrayal that felt ahead of its time.
But in the trailer for the live-action remake, Pleakley’s signature disguise is missing, and fans are furious.
Director Dean Fleischer Camp addressed the backlash directly in a TikTok, responding to fan concerns with: “I have had people message me saying, ‘Why is Pleakley not wearing the dress?’ And I just want to say, I tried.”
Camp even shared early concept art showing Pleakley in a red wig and women’s clothes, confirming that he had pushed to include the look. Ultimately, though, Disney decided to go a different direction. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Camp explained: “The humor of them walking around Hawaii dressed in these terrible disguises where Pleakley still has one eyeball, it’s a little harder to buy in live action.”
Instead, the remake uses a high-tech device to disguise the aliens as humans, removing the need for costumes entirely.
But many fans aren’t buying the explanation. Some speculate the decision was politically motivated. “Baby, when he said he tried, he means Disney said no… Given the political climate, it’s not shocking Disney wanted no part,” one commenter noted.
Another fan put it more bluntly: “GIVE ME PLEAKLEY IN A DRESS OR CANCEL THE MOVIE.”
For these fans, the change feels like more than just a costume update, it’s a loss of the quirky, offbeat spirit that made the original special.
“I’m going to skip this one in theaters… I fear the soul of this movie has been lost,” one viewer lamented.
Despite the controversy, the film still boasts an impressive cast, with newcomer Maia Kealoha as Lilo, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong as Nani, and Chris Sanders returning to voice Stitch. Whether that will be enough to overcome the backlash remains to be seen.
