Beloved Animated Lilo and Stitch Director Set to Write Live-Action Sequel

Love it or hate it, the Lilo and Stitch live-action remake is a smash hit. It recently became the first movie of 2025 to gross $1 billion worldwide. Of course, this means a sequel is inevitable. While the internet may groan at Disney making a sequel to a remake, they are bringing in one of the directors of the beloved animated version to write the screenplay.

Chris Sanders, Co-Director of Animated Lilo and Stitch

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chris Sanders “is in final negotiations to return to the fold and pen the sequel to Disney’s live-action mega-hit.” Sanders co-directed and co-wrote the animated Lilo and Stitch with Dean DeBlois. He also voiced Stitch in the animated version, the following TV series, and the live-action remake. Sanders and DeBlois also co-directed the original animated version of How to Train Your Dragon (which also received a live-action remake this summer) and Sanders directed The Wild Robot, both for DreamWorks.

What Could Sanders Do With the Sequel?

I wrote a list of flaws in the Lilo and Stitch remake that the sequel could fix. The remake was heavily criticized for making changes to the story, such as making Jumba the main villain, and especially having Nani leave Lilo to go to college. Having Sanders in the writing chair for the sequel could mean that he would want to stay truer to the animated movie’s spirit.

Will Jumba’s Other Experiments be in Lilo and Stitch 2?

The remake included a reference to Jumba’s other experiments, who were featured prominently in the Lilo and Stitch TV series, but as of right now, the plot of the live-action sequel is unknown. Perhaps it will include elements from the series, or perhaps it will decide to go in a new direction. However, if the sequel does include Jumba’s other experiments, there’s also a chance that it could give Jumba back the redemption arc that he had in the animated version. The sequel is a chance to fix the problems people had with the remake.