More than two decades after he crash-landed into theaters, Experiment 626 is proving to be just as popular as ever.Credit: DisneyFirst released in 2002, Disney’s Lilo & Stitch struck a chord with audiences through its unconventional charm, heartfelt themes, and vibrant Hawaiian setting. Directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, the animated feature centered on a spirited young girl named Lilo and her chaotic but lovable alien companion Stitch, who posed as a dog. At its heart was the Hawaiian principle of “ʻohana,” meaning family, a message that resonated with audiences of all ages.Complete with a soundtrack packed with Elvis Presley classics and distinctive hand-drawn animation, Lilo & Stitch became an instant fan favorite. The film’s success led to a string of sequels and a long-running TV series, solidifying its place in Disney’s animated canon.Credit: DisneyFast forward 23 years, and Disney has reimagined the beloved title as a live-action/CGI hybrid. The new adaptation, helmed by director Dean Fleischer Camp, introduces newcomer Maia Kealoha as Lilo. She’s joined by Zach Galifianakis as Pleakley, Billy Magnussen, and Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles. Chris Sanders, who co-directed and co-wrote the original film, reprises his role as the voice of Stitch.Though the storyline stays largely faithful to the animated version, the live-action release has sparked discussion over its casting choices, how it handles cultural themes, and modifications to the original ending–all part of Disney’s ongoing efforts to reinterpret its legacy titles for modern audiences.Credit: DisneyOriginally planned as a Disney+ exclusive, the film shifted to a theatrical rollout following the overwhelming performance of Moana 2 (2024). That film, also once destined for streaming, wound up surpassing the $1 billion mark globally, a signal to Disney that certain titles still have major box office potential. Lilo & Stitch has now followed in those same footsteps.Currently, the live-action Lilo & Stitch has grossed $1.001 billion at the global box office, edging past A Minecraft Movie (2025) from Warner Bros., which pulled in just over $955 million. The commercial success of the film, paired with the continued cross-platform strength of Stitch as a character, led to the announcement of a sequel in late June.Credit: DisneyAs Deadline put it earlier this month, the property remains a major draw for the Walt Disney Company.“The Lilo & Stitch franchise in series and the original pic has driven over 579 million hours on Disney+ around the globe,” the outlet reported. “The original Lilo & Stitch has accounted for more than 306M hours of viewing on the OTT service. Disney+ global. Retail sales for Stitch have grown from $0.2B in 2019 to $2.6B in 2024, representing a ten-fold increase.”Credit: DisneyThis is a big win for Disney, with Entertainment chief Alan Bergman saying (via Variety): “We knew there was a lot of love for Lilo & Stitch with audiences around the world, yet we never take that for granted, and we’re proud of how this new film has connected with people.”However, 2025 also marked a severe low for the House of Mouse, with Walt Disney’s Snow White legacy tarnished forever. In the world of 2025 Disney live-action remakes, it seems the one that will be remembered for the right reasons will be Lilo & Stitch.Credit: DisneySnow White Gave Disney a Dismal Start to the YearDisney’s Snow White (2025) sparked widespread backlash long before its theatrical debut, with controversies ranging from casting to creative direction. Rachel Zegler’s take on the titular character drew criticism over changes to the classic narrative, while her political views—particularly in contrast to co-star Gal Gadot—added to the online discourse.The studio also faced scrutiny for replacing the iconic seven dwarfs with CGI “magical creatures,” prompting backlash from disability advocates. The film’s attempt to modernize the beloved fairytale divided fans and critics alike.Credit: DisneyDespite opening at No. 1 at the box office, Snow White struggled to gain traction. With an estimated production cost of close to $300 million, the film failed to build momentum thereafter. Critical response was lukewarm, and user ratings plummeted, placing it among the lowest-rated Disney live-action remakes in recent memory. It finished its theatrical run with a global haul of $205 million.While a streaming debut on Disney+ gave the film a slight boost, Snow White ultimately fell short of expectations both financially and culturally.Credit: DisneyStitch Found New Life on StreamingIn addition to its theatrical success, the original 2002 animated film has experienced a fresh wave of popularity on streaming. According to Nielsen data, Lilo & Stitch broke into the Top 10 most-watched movies from June 2 through June 8, landing in the tenth spot with 236,000 minutes viewed.It shared the streaming spotlight with major titles including Amazon’s The Accountant 2 (2025), Disney and Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World (2025), and 2024’s animated hit The Wild Robot.Credit: DisneyAs reported by What’s On Disney Plus, this renewed interest in the original film demonstrates the power of Disney’s extensive back catalog: “The original animated film, Lilo & Stitch, continues to get a boost in viewership following the release of the new live-action version, highlighting the benefit of the large back catalog of titles available on Disney+,” the outlet wrote.While Disney has yet to confirm a streaming release date for the live-action version, it’s widely anticipated to arrive on Disney+ in late August or early September. If previous patterns hold, and especially considering how Snow White managed to top streaming charts despite its rocky production and theatrical reception, Lilo & Stitch is likely to dominate once it hits the platform.Have thoughts about the live-action Lilo & Stitch? Share them with Inside the Magic in the comments below.The post Disney’s Last Minute Decision Sees ‘Snow White’ Buried and Forgotten appeared first on Inside the Magic.