The Walt Disney Company, a titan of family entertainment, finds itself under fire once again as its latest live-action remake, Lilo & Stitch, released in May 2025, has joined Snow White in disappointing audiences and igniting a wave of frustration among fans. Just months after Snow White’s lackluster box office performance and critical backlash in early 2025, the Lilo & Stitch remake has failed to recapture the magic of its 2002 animated predecessor, prompting widespread calls for Disney to abandon its long-running remake strategy. As of 2:59 PM +07 on Thursday, June 26, 2025, this growing discontent has fueled a vocal movement on social media and beyond, with fans urging the studio to halt the trend that many now view as a tired cash grab. This article explores the disappointment surrounding Lilo & Stitch, the echoes of Snow White’s failure, the fan backlash, and the broader implications for Disney’s future.
The Disappointment: Lilo & Stitch Falls Short
Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch, which hit theaters over the Memorial Day weekend, opened with a strong $278 million domestically in its first two weekends, surpassing expectations and setting a record for the holiday frame. However, the financial success masks a growing wave of dissatisfaction. The film, starring Maia Kealoha as Lilo and Sydney Agudong as Nani, reimagines the beloved story of a Hawaiian girl and her alien companion Stitch, but significant changes have alienated many fans. The most contentious alteration is the ending, where Nani relinquishes guardianship of Lilo to pursue college, using a portal gun to visit occasionally—a stark departure from the original’s emphasis on family unity encapsulated by the “Ohana” theme, meaning “nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”
Critics and viewers have pointed to additional issues, including a reimagined Jumba as a villain rather than a reformed figure, the removal of Pleakley’s iconic drag disguise, and a perceived dilution of the original’s cultural commentary on Hawaiian identity and colonialism. Social media buzz, particularly on platforms like X, reflects this sentiment, with fans lamenting, “They ruined the heart of Ohana,” and accusing Disney of prioritizing profit over authenticity. Despite a 69% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an A CinemaScore, the mixed reception underscores a disconnect between box office numbers and emotional resonance, echoing the challenges faced by Snow White.
The Snow White Precedent: A Warning Ignored
The Snow White live-action remake, released in January 2025, set the stage for this discontent. With a budget estimated between $230-270 million, the film grossed a mere $205.5 million worldwide, marking a significant disappointment compared to the billion-dollar hauls of earlier remakes like The Lion King (2019) and Aladdin (2019). Starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, it faced backlash over casting controversies, Zegler’s political statements, and a perceived lack of fidelity to the 1937 classic. The film’s second-weekend drop of 66.4% signaled audience rejection, prompting speculation that Disney might rethink its remake pipeline, including shelved projects like Tangled.
Lilo & Stitch’s release, however, suggests Disney doubled down, banking on the franchise’s $2.6 billion merchandise legacy and Stitch’s enduring popularity. Yet, the similar trajectory—initial success followed by fan outrage—indicates a pattern. The Snow White flop, coupled with Lilo & Stitch’s mixed reception, has fueled perceptions that Disney is exhausting its nostalgia well, with audiences growing weary of rehashed stories that fail to honor their roots. This parallel has intensified calls to end the remake trend, with fans drawing direct comparisons between the two failures.
Fan Backlash: A Growing Movement
The backlash against Lilo & Stitch has been swift and vocal, mirroring the Snow White uproar. On social media, fans have flooded platforms with critiques, with many urging Disney to “stop the remake madness.” Posts found on X highlight frustration, with users questioning, “Why fix what isn’t broken?” and demanding, “No more live-action remakes—give us original stories!” The altered ending, in particular, has drawn ire, with some accusing Disney of “Westernizing” a culturally rich narrative, a sentiment echoed by Hawaiian voices who see it as dismissive of their heritage. Others point to the removal of beloved elements like Pleakley’s humor, arguing it strips the film of its charm.
This discontent builds on Snow White’s aftermath, where fans boycotted over casting and narrative changes, leading to its early streaming shift. The Lilo & Stitch protest, while less organized, shares a similar tone, with some threatening to boycott future remakes like Moana, set for 2026. The movement gained traction after the film’s May 2025 release, with a petition on Change.org titled “End Disney Live-Action Remakes” amassing over 50,000 signatures by June 26, reflecting a growing demand for innovation over replication.
Disney’s Response: Defiance Amid Criticism
Disney has yet to issue a comprehensive response to the Lilo & Stitch backlash, though director Dean Fleischer Camp defended the ending in a June 2025 TikTok video, arguing it reflects “modern family dynamics” and cultural nuance. This mirrors the studio’s stance on Snow White, where executives like Marc Platt justified changes as necessary updates, a position that failed to quell outrage. The company’s continued investment in remakes, including Moana and a paused Tangled, suggests a reluctance to pivot, driven by the $1.12 billion combined haul of Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon in 2025.
Financially, Disney appears undeterred, with Lilo & Stitch’s global earnings nearing $600 million by June 26, outpacing Snow White’s total. However, the 57.7% second-weekend drop signals waning interest, a trend also seen in The Little Mermaid (2023). This disconnect between revenue and fan sentiment raises questions about long-term viability, with some analysts suggesting Disney’s reliance on nostalgia may be nearing its limit unless it adapts.
Personal Context: The Cast’s Perspective
For Zegler, who faced her own controversies with Snow White, the Lilo & Stitch backlash adds pressure. Her June 2025 support for Palestine amid the Iran-Israel conflict has further complicated her public image, potentially amplifying criticism of her Evita role and indirectly affecting Lilo & Stitch perceptions. Kealoha and Agudong, new to major roles, have remained silent, leaving Zegler as the focal point, a role she’s navigated with mixed success since her 2021 breakthrough.
Broader Implications: The Future of Disney Remakes
The dual disappointments of Snow White and Lilo & Stitch signal a potential turning point for Disney’s remake strategy. The studio’s shift toward modern properties like Lilo & Stitch (2002) and Moana (2016), rather than 1990s classics, reflects an attempt to target younger audiences, but the backlash suggests a miscalculation. Fans argue that changes to culturally significant narratives, like Hawaii’s portrayal, risk alienating core demographics, a critique supported by posts found on X calling for “original stories, not rehashed cash grabs.”
The success of How to Train Your Dragon (2025), another live-action remake, complicates this narrative, grossing over $500 million and earning praise for balancing nostalgia with innovation. This contrast highlights that successful remakes require fidelity and fresh perspectives, a balance Lilo & Stitch and Snow White failed to strike. Disney’s hesitation to pause, despite Tangled’s delay, suggests a corporate gamble, but the growing fan movement may force a reckoning if Moana follows suit.
A Call for Change
As of 2:59 PM +07 on June 26, 2025, Lilo & Stitch continues its theatrical run, with Disney planning a sequel amid the controversy. The petition to end remakes gains momentum daily, reflecting a desire for Disney to return to its roots of original storytelling, like Frozen (2013) and Moana (2016). Fans’ pleas, echoing through social media and protests, challenge the studio to innovate rather than replicate, a demand that could reshape its future if heeded.
The Lilo & Stitch disappointment, building on Snow White’s failure, marks a critical juncture. Whether Disney adapts or persists, the voices calling for an end to remakes grow louder, threatening to redefine the Mouse House’s legacy from nostalgic rehash to creative pioneer—unless the studio listens.
