Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch (review here) was a massive $1B hit for Disney last year, and I’m willing to bet that was a surprise even to them. With that kind of success, it was inevitable there would be a sequel, and now we know it’ll be Chris Sanders at the helm for the next story featuring everyone’s favorite fuzzy blue alien.
Sanders is not only the longtime voice of Stitch, but he co-directed the original animated Lilo & Stitch movie in 2002. He’s got quite the resume behind the camera, having co-created the How to Train Your Dragon franchise with Dean DeBlois, and directing other animated hits such as The Croods and Best Animated Feature Oscar nominee The Wild Robot. Sanders has live-action experience, as well, having directed Harrison Ford in the 2020 adaptation of Call of the Wild.
The previous Lilo & Stitch movie was directed by Dean Fleischer Camp. It’s unclear why he’s not returning for the sequel, especially given how well that film did.
While there was a straight-to-DVD sequel Lilo & Stitch: Stitch Has a Glitch, this next film be a brand new story according to THR‘s report. Filming will begin later this year.
