After writing and directingthe 2002 animated pic, Chris Sanders is returning to pen the live-action sequel to the box-office smash hit Lilo & Stich 2. Sanders, who co-directed the original movie and portrayed Stitch, reprised his voiceover role in the 2025 update.
The live action feature take of the 2002 classic animated title has crossed the billion dollar mark around the world last week, the second highest grossing MPA movie year to date after Warner Bros/Legendary’s A Minecraft Movie counts over $954M. The original Lilo & Stitch grossed $274.7M at the global box office.
Lilo & Stitch is a cornerstone brand for Disney. Last year Lilo & Stitch consumer products made an estimated $2.5 billion-plus, according to sources, and was one of 11 evergreen franchises for The Walt Disney Company that surpassed $1 billion-plus in retail sales in 2024.
Lilo & Stitch is also huge on Disney+. The entire Lilo & Stitch catalog has grown significantly each year on the OTT service and that’s based on hours streamed. The Lilo & Stitch franchise has driven over a half billion (546M) hours on Disney+ around the globe with the original movie clocking north of 280M hours viewed.
Sanders is repped by WME.
