Upcoming Disney live-action remake star asks fans to ’embrace the film as its own story’

Ah, yes, another live-action adaptation. Thank you, Disney. Even though their live-action adaptations of animated classics have come under a lot of critical fire, Disney keeps churning them out. Why? Because they make a lot of money. Now audience must embrace a live-action Lilo & Stitch.

2002’s Lilo & Stitch was one of Disney’s more out-there animations, featuring a little blue alien with murderous intent crash-landing on Kauaʻi, Hawaii. Here, he is adopted by a girl with her own anger issues, and the two find comfort and solace in one another as they define what family means to them. Now it’s being remade, and, as with past live-action adaptations, changes are bound to be made, whether we like them or not.

Actor Billy Magnussen (No Time to Die, Alladin) will be bringing to life the role of the comedic character Pleakly, an alien with a strict code of conduct and a very misinformed understanding of the role of mosquitos. The actor recently spoke to Collider about his part in the adaptation and how excited he is to be starring across from comedic acting legend Zach Galifianakis.

“Being an alien with Zach Galifianakis in Hawaii, I’m not upset. I’m not upset at all about that. The opportunity to play such a character as Pleakley and just be crazy, which I love doing, was a gift. I don’t know even what I can say or really do. It was a treat. I can’t express it.”

Please don’t compare

It’s tough not to compare a live-action adaptation with its source material, and unfortunately, that’s what happens. Magnussen hopes that audiences coming in to watch this new version will want to see it as a story in its own right, saying, “I hope they embrace it as its own story. When they make these live-action films, sometimes I think people hold on to what the other one was, and they’re not in competition.”

The live-action films are often longer than their animated predecessors and, therefore, require a little padding. This comes in the form of subplots from the animation getting a little more room to breathe or side characters getting to step up a little more. Magnussen firmly believes that the heart of the Lilo & Stitch animation is still in the adaptation, as it’s about “finding family and friends, being an outcast, and finding your community and your family. I would hope you wouldn’t fight that, and embrace that.”

Lilo & Stitch is set for release next summer.