A box office smash, the new Disney film has sparked discussion about colonialism, with one analyst telling The Hollywood Reporter that the ending "contributes to the narrative of displacement of Hawaiians from their ancestral lands.

In both ‘Lilo & Stitch’ films, the sisters are grieving the recent deaths of their parents Fans of Lilo & Stitch know that “Ohana means family — and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” Though family is a central theme in the animated movie and the live-action remake,

So the short, short version of Lilo & Stitch’s live-action ending is that Stitch (Chris Sanders) almost drowns after escaping the clutches of his creator, Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zack Galifianakis). But thanks to Ohana and some jumper cables, Experiment 626 is revived and allowed to serve his sentence of exile on Earth with Lilo (Maia Kealoha).

Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” continues to break records at the global box office. Over Memorial Day weekend, it made a record- breaking $183 million domestically and $341 million worldwide. The live-action film is a retelling of the studio’s 2002 animated feature, as its beloved characters are brought to life.

Chris Sanders returns as the voice of Stitch in Disney's "Lilo & Stitch," now a $183M box office smash! He says, "I'm gonna do this voice for as long as I possibly can," despite the vocal challenges.

So, Nani returns to the ocean to save Stitch and carries him back to shore underwater. It was a moment to show Nani’s strength as well as her love for both Lilo and Stitch. Plus, it was an excellent way to end this climactic moment.

"Lilo and Stitch" fans are upset about the film's new ending; however, the Hawaiian cultural practice it's based on is being misinterpreted.

Nostalgia helped Disney's live-action version of "Lilo & Stitch" dominate over the weekend. There are some other Disney classics ripe for a remake.

Lilo & Stitch is hardly the first movie that wasn’t adored by critics to make giant piles of money at the box office. It likely won’t be the last either. You can check out the film and fellow 2025 movie schedule entry Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning in theaters now.

The recent Lilo & Stitch and A Minecraft Movie are proof that Hollywood would be more selective with IP adaptations and lean into recent nostalgia.