“Lilo & Stitch” gained recognition in 2002 as a heartwarming tale of a lonely human girl named Lilo and her dog-like alien named Stitch as they adventure in Hawaii.
Recently,The Hollywood Reporter announced that a live-action “Lilo & Stitch” film is in the works, 16 years after the original.
In anticipation of Disney’s live-action remake of the classic film, here are 17 surprising things about the original “Lilo & Stitch.”
Daveigh Chase was the voice of Lilo.
You might know the actress better as the little girl in” The Ring,” or perhaps as the voice of Chihiro in the English version of “Spirited Away. “
Fun fact: both "The Ring" and "Lilo & Stitch" were released the same year.
The estimated budget for the film was $80 million.
It is estimated that Disney spent nearly $80 million creating the animated film, which has since gone on to earn an estimated $273,144,151 worldwide.
The voice of Stitch was provided by the film's director.
The multi-talented Chris Sanders wrote the script for "Lilo & Stitch," directed the production, and even lent his voice to the character in the film.
The story was originally set in rural Kansas.
Initially, the writers wanted the film to take place in rural Kansas, where Stitch would be isolated from wreaking havoc on the things around him. Later, the setting was changed to Hawaii's Kauai island.
"The very first pitch was about an alien in a forest somewhere and all of his interaction was with these woodland creatures who wanted nothing to do with him," screenwriter Dean DeBlois told IGN.
The writers incorporated the idea of "ohana" after a trip to Kauai.
According to co-writer and co-director Dean DuBlois, a tour guide explained the idea of "ohana" to them and how the concept was an important part of the island's lifestyle.
"It was always gonna be about family and this destructive force coming into a frail, crumbling family and just accelerating its destruction, but then being affected enough by the idea of a family that he could transform in the end. But it wasn't until we went to Hawaii that we were exposed to the idea of 'ohana' and that's something that the Hawaiian people carry around with them. It's alive and present and it's this all-embodying philosophy that if you live several islands away, you're as much my brother and sister as my immediate brother and sister," DuBlois told IGN.
Some of the actors helped rewrite dialogue.
The voice actors for Nani and David, Tia Carrere and Jason Scott Lee, helped rewrite the Hawaiian characters' dialogue to include Hawaiian colloquialisms and slang.
Carrere is a native Hawaiian and Lee was raised in the state.
After the 9/11 attacks, one scene was completely redone.
The scene with Stitch and Jumba flying a spaceship through Kauai to escape capture was completely redone after the 9/11 attacks. Originally, the scene shows the duo in a Boeing plane flying through the city center.
Pudge the fish was almost killed off.
Remember the cute fish that Lilo feeds at the beginning of the movie? Well, he was almost killed off in a scene where Lilo introduces him to Stitch.
Lilo and Nani have a last name.
According to Stitch's dog license at the shelter, Lilo and Nani's last name is "Pelekai."
Their last name is dedicated to Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes in Hawaii, and Kai, which means seawater in Hawaiian.
CIA agent Cobra Bubbles was inspired by a "Pulp Fiction" character.
Cobra Bubbles was voiced by actor Ving Rhames, who played the gangster Marsellus Wallace in the cult classic "Pulp Fiction."
Fans of the film noticed that Rhames' character in "Lilo & Stitch" was modeled after Wallace in the film.
There are a lot of hidden Mickeys in the film.
Throughout "Lilo & Stitch," fans noticed many subtle references to Mickey. On YouTube, one fan found as many as 30 instances where Mickey appeared.
Both the directors make cameos in the film.
Did you spot Sanders and DeBlois running away from Stitch on the beach? Well, here it is.
Lilo & Stitch was first created in 1985.
Sanders first created Lilo & Stitch for a children's book in 1985, according to "The Story Room: The Making of 'Lilo & Stitch.'"
"Lilo & Stitch" was nominated for an Oscar.
Although they lost the Academy Award to "Spirited Away," the film was nominated for Best Animated Film. Funnily enough, Daveigh Chase was the lead voice in both films.
There's a nod to "Mulan" in the film.
Perhaps because Sanders and DeBlois both worked on "Mulan," there are several nods to the film in "Lilo & Stitch," including a poster in Nani's room.
Dumbo also makes an appearance.
Perhaps as a nod to the water-color backgrounds, Dumbo makes an appearance in the film as a stuffed animal in Lilo's room.
The license plate of a fire truck in the film has a hidden meaning.
Listed on the license of a fire truck in the film is "A113." "A113" refers to a classroom number at the California Institute of Arts, where many master animators at Disney and Pixar learned their craft.
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