When Lilo and Stitch was released in theaters in June 2002, nobody could have expected it to be the unexpected hit Disney animation needed. After a successful run in the 90s known as the Disney Renaissance with films like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, the animation studio hit a rough spot in the 2000s. The studio had high-profile disappointments like The Emperor's New Groove, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and the film following Lilo and Stitch, Treasure Planet, would be one of the biggest bombs in the studio's history.
Created by Chris Sanders, this original concept with no relation to a popular fairy tale or story, as well as being a science fiction property, felt like an odd pick for a Disney animated film with all the pedigree that comes with it. Yet the story of an alien meant to be a weapon of mass destruction coming to Earth and finding a family with a young girl in Hawaii struck a chord with audiences. Stitch has become one of Disney's most marketable characters, and this little film launched a massive, sprawling multimedia franchise with a variety of spin-off films and television series.
Update July 13, 2023: This article has been updated with more information regarding the upcoming live-action remake of Lilo and Stitch.
It has been 20 years since Lilo & Stitch was first released in theaters, and the franchise has grown to cover various corners of the globe it can be hard to keep track. With a live-action remake of Lilo and Stitch in development set for release on Disney+ from the director of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, it might be a good time to revisit the first film and the overall franchise. One that taught an entire generation the important lesson that Ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. This is the entire Lilo and Stitch franchise in chronological order; if you'd like to watch every Lilo and Stitch title by release date, scroll the bottom..
Lilo and Stitch Franchise In Chronological Order
Lilo and Stitch
Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch Has A Glitch
Stitch! The Movie
Lilo and Stitch: The Series
Leroy and Stitch
Stitch!
(Upcoming Live-Action Remake)
Lilo and Stitch
The first film in the franchise, Lilo and Stitch, introduces the primary players for the series, namely Experiment 626, aka Stitch, and a young girl named Lilo. Lilo is looked after by her sister Nani after their parents died in a car crash. Trying to capture Stitch is his creator, Jumba and Earth "expert" Pleakley. Other characters include the villainous Gantu and the Child Protection Services agent Cobra Bubbles. Two decades after its release, Lilo and Stitch remains a great achievement in animation, a great step forward in representation, and a beautiful moving story about family sticking together.
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One plot element introduced in Lilo and Stitch which will become a major hallmark in the franchise is the song "Aloha 'Oe." It is a Hawaiian folk song written in 1878 by Liliʻuokalani, who was then Princess of the Hawaiian Kingdom. It is a common cultural symbol for Hawaii and has been covered by multiple artists over the years and in the context of Lilo and Stitch, it is sung at one of the most dramatic moments: when Nani believes Lilo will be taken away by social workers she sings it to her younger sister. Letting her know what happens, they will meet again. This becomes the emotional throughline of the entire franchise.
Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch Has A Glitch
Anyone who grew up in the 90s and 2009s remembers the sheer volume of direct-to-video sequels to Disney films. One of the most surprising is Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch which was released in 2005 and probably caused great confusion to many kids, as it was released after a previous Lilo and Stitchdirect-to-video movie and a popular animated series that was on the air. Yet the lack of any other experiments firmly establishes Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch as a direct sequel to the first film and before the major events that will follow. It also breaks from the previously released entries by not featuring Daveighn Chase as the voice of Lilo, instead being replaced by Dakota Fanning.
The film explores a malfunction with Stitch that has grown since he was not finished before his creator Jumba was arrested and could potentially kill him. The film puts Lilo and Stitch's emotional relationship through the test and Stitch almost dies, but it is Lilo's love for him that saves him. "Aloha 'Oe" also appears in the film, further symbolizing whatever happens, this family will remain together.
Stitch! The Movie
The teaser trailer for Stitch! The Movie posed an interesting question: if Stitch was experiment 626, what about the other 625? Stitch! The Movie was released on video in 2003, a little over a year after the first film hit theaters (chronologically, it takes place after the previously mentioned released direct-to-video sequel) and acts as an extended pilot for the upcoming Lilo and Stitch: The Series.
Stitch! The Movie lays out what will be the basic premise of the subsequent series: all of Jumba's other experiments have been unleashed onto the island, and it is up to Lilo and Stitch to find them, turn them good, and find the one place they belong. Meanwhile, the villain of the first film, Gantu, is working with Jumba's old partner Hamsterviel to secure all the experiments for his own evil purposes. The movie introduces a couple of the other experiments, who will be called Stitch's cousins. First up is Experiment 625, which has all of Stitch's abilities but was considered a failure as he only wanted to make sandwiches (he later will be given the name Reuben), and Experiment 221, an electrical experiment known as Sparky.
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Lilo and Stitch: The Series
Lilo and Stitch: The Series sees the titular duo finding a different experiment and finding its one true place. The series introduces a wide variety of colorful experiments with interesting abilities that help expand the franchise, with the most popular entry being Experiment 624, aka Angel, who has the ability to turn the experiments evil by singing their song and eventually becomes Stitch's girlfriend.
The show premiered one month after Stitch! The Movie was released and aired from 2003 to 2006 for 65 episodes. Just like the first two films in the franchise, the song "Aloha 'Oe" has a major significance, here revealed as a coping song for Lilo when she is scared and one that helps Stitch face his fears.
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One of the most interesting elements of Lilo and Stitch: The Series is how it expands the universe in unexpected ways. Over the course of the series, they had four different crossovers with other Disney animated shows: Kim Possible, The Proud Family, American Dragon: Jake Long, and Recess. These episodes were inspired by the four teaser trailers for Lilo and Stitch, which featured Stitch invading scenes in various Disney Renaissance films. This effectively makes all of those series, as well as their spin-offs and other adventures, part of an interconnected universe meaning this franchise not only has aliens but spies and magical creatures as well and creates a vast array of possibilities.
Leroy and Stitch
Lilo and Stich: The Series is bookended by films, with Stitch! The Movie being the backdoor pilot and then concluding with 2006's Leroy and Stitch. The film, which was released in the summer of 2006, explores the aftermath of Lilo and Stitch gathering all the experiments and giving them a home. The various characters split up to go enjoy the lives they think they want, only to return together to realize they had already found it in their family. Meanwhile, the villainous Hamsterviel has forced Jumba to create a new experiment for him, which he names Leroy to take over the galaxy. He gathers all the remaining experiments to try and destroy them, but Stitch and company save the day and in the end celebrate as one giant ohana.
Fittingly, "Aloha Oe" is a vital aspect of the film's climax. Lilo gave Jumba a record with Elvis Presley's cover of the song, and he played it while creating Leroy, making it a fail-safe for the experiment. Lilo, Stitch, Reuben, and various other experiments come together to sing the song to shut down the various Leroys, helping them win the day. The song that began the series as the most emotional heartbreaking scene now is used in a moment of heroic victory.
Leroy and Stitch also ends the original part of the Lilo and Stitch franchise, with Lilo as the main human and the setting taking place in Hawaii. Stitch was such a popular character for Disney, that in just a few short years he would be given spin-off series set in other parts of the world.
Stitch & Ai
The third television series in the Lilo and Stitch franchise, and the most recent is Stitch & Ai. A short-lived series, only 13 episodes, the series takes place in 2016. The series is a Chinese animated spin-off that sees Stitch become the pet of a young Chinese girl named Wang Ai Ling in a similar setup to the original Lilo and Stitch, but also moves the franchise conflict away from other experiments and into other alien factions. Much like the original put an emphasis on Hawaiian culture, Stitch & Ai puts the focus on Chinese culture and mythology.
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Stitch!
Stitch! is the second animated series in the franchise and the first spin-off. It moved the series out of Hawaii to Japan and ran from 2008 to 2010 with two anime films released, one in 2011 and another in 2012. The series pairs Stitch with a young girl named Yuna and also sees the return of Jumba and Pleakley. Despite both getting heroic endings at the end of Leroy and Stitch, both Gantu and Experiment 625 return to villainous roles.
Both Stitch! and Stitch & Ai could be two separate different timelines for what happens following Leroy and Stitch, however, the presence of an adult Lilo who has a daughter that is the same age as she was when she met Stitch suggests Stitch! takes place sometime after Stitch & Ai. The series establishes that Stitch and Lilo separated after Lilo went to college, and when they were supposed to reunite on the beach years later Lilo was late because Nani was having a baby. Stitch thought Lilo had forgotten him, but in the end the two get a sweet reunion.
If Stitch! is the final entry in the Lilo and Stitch timeline, taking into all the stories this makes for a sweet ending. Much like the song "Aloha 'Oe" in the first film expressed lyrically, the series signifies that no matter how far apart they are Lilo and Stitch have a family bond that will always bring them back to one another. Even as they start new chapters in their lives, it is only a matter of time until they meet again.
Lilo & Stitch (Upcoming Live-Action Remake)
In October 2018, Walt Disney Pictures announced that they would be creating a live-action remake of the beloved 2002 animated film, with Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On) being selected as the director and Chris Kekaniokalani Bright rewriting the script. Chris Sanders, who co-directed and provided the vocals for the lovable alien misfit Stitch in the franchise, will be reprising his role and will do so opposite native Hawaiian newcomer Maia Kealoha's Lilo. Sydney Agudong will appear as Lilo's older sister Nani, and Kaipo Dudoit has taken over the part of David Kawena after original star Kahiau Machado was recast due to his past usage of a racial slur.
While a majority of the cast will feature Hollywood novices, a few familiar faces will also be joining the highly-anticipated adaptation, including Zach Galifianakis (Dr. Jumba Jookiba), Billy Magnussen (Agent Pleakley), Courtney B. Vance (Cobra Bubbles), and Tia Carrere, who originally voiced Nani in the franchise but will now portray social worker Mrs. Kekoa.
The remake has been the source of a bit of controversy, with some scrutinizing the casting of Agudong and accusing Disney of whitewashing the character of Nani as the actor is lighter-skinned than the animated character. Regardless of any drama, fans are excited to see how director Dean Fleischer Camp brings the dynamic duo to life and they might not have to wait long, as principal photography concluded in June. Though an official premiere date has yet to be disclosed, Lilo & Stitch will be a direct-to-streaming Disney+ release.
Lilo and Stitch Series In Release Order
Lilo and Stitch - June 21, 2002
Stitch! The Movie - August 26, 2003
Lilo and Stitch: The Series - September 23, 2003 to July 29, 2006
Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch - August 30, 2005
Leroy and Stitch - June 23, 2006
Stitch! - October 8, 2008 to August 7, 2015
- March 27, 2017 to April 6, 2017
(Live-Action Remake) - TBD
Return to Lilo and Stitch Movies in Chronological Order
