The marketing campaign for Disney's live-action Lilo & Stitch movie is using one specific tactic the original animated film used.
Following nearly two dozen live-action recreations of animated Disney films, the House of Mouse will continue that trend in 2025 with a live-action take on 2002's Lilo & Stitch. This will revive the wild story centered on a young Hawaiian girl who finds a blue-hued "dog," which is eventually revealed as an alien experiment.
The marketing campaign for Lilo & Stitch has yet to truly begin, as fans have only seen a few short teases highlighting Experiment 626 in action for the big screen.
Live-Action Lilo & Stitch Remake Uses Animated Movie Marketing Idea
Disney released a new poster for the 2025 live-action Lilo & Stitch remake, with a unique twist honoring the 2002 animated film.
The poster sees the titular CGI-created Stitch sitting on a beach under the tagline, "Hold on to your coconuts." In his mouth is a visibly angry Kakamora warrior.
The Kakamora, whose look resembles a coconut, is recognizable as an antagonistic group of characters from Disney's Moana and Moana 2.
This iconic marketing tactic was also used for 2002's Lilo & Stitch, as Disney stuck the adorable blue creature into scenes from legendary Disney animated movies.
Stitch was seen destroying the chandelier in 1991's Beauty and the Beast before picking up Jasmine from the magic carpet in his spaceship in 1992's Aladdin. Other trailers saw him force Ariel to jump off a rock in 1989's The Little Mermaid and replace baby Simba in Rafiki's arms on Pride Rock in 1994's The Lion King.
The movie's poster helped recreate some of those moments as Stitch sits with a smile on his face as over a dozen legendary Disney characters look at him in anger, fear, or even love.
What To Expect From Lilo & Stitch Marketing
With this poster coming so early in Lilo & Stitch's marketing campaign, seeing more imagery in this style for the live-action remake would not be shocking. Full clips with past Disney stars might be more difficult, but there are more than enough CGI characters to make other crossover moments possible.
The Kakamora might be a direct replica of what will be seen in Disney's 2026 live-action Moana movie, although multiple other films are already available.
Characters like Sebastian or Flounder from 2023's The Little Mermaid or animals from the upcoming 2024 Mufasa: The Lion King movie could fit perfectly with Stitch's shenanigans. Also on the table are films like 2022's Pinocchio, 2016's The Jungle Book, and 2019's Aladdin.
No matter what direction Disney picks, the studio appears to be putting its best effort into giving this live-action remake the best chance possible at success.
Now, fans wait to see what else is in store after the film's first trailer showed Stitch rampaging on the beach and destroying a handful of sand-based structures.
Disney's live-action Lilo & Stitch remake hits theaters on May 23, 2025.
