The Rotten Tomatoes score for the live-actionLilo & Stitchis a much-needed win after Disney’s challenges with many of its live-action remakes. Following the numerous controversies leading up to its release,reviews forSnow Whiteended up being largely negative, leading to a 39% Tomatometer score. Lackluster reviews and a poor performance at the box office led to thelive-actionTangledhalting developmentasDisney began reassessing its approach to remaking its beloved animated movies.
Despite these setbacks, therelease of the live-actionLilo & Stitchcontinued to be highly anticipated. That anticipation and overall confidence were amplified by the first trailer, which indicated that the animated movie could translate well into the live-action medium while maintaining the original story’s fun and heartwarming tone.Lilo & Stitchreviewsare now confirming that this feat has been achieved, which is reflected in the Tomatometer score.
Lilo & Stitch’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is The Best For A Disney Live-Action Remake In Years
The Reception To Disney’s Live-Action Remakes Is Changing For The Better
Lilo & Stitch’s Rotten Tomatoes scoreis 76%. The only Disney live-action remake to come close to this in recent years wasCruella’s 75% score in 2021. In the time sinceCruella, the 2022 adaptation ofPinocchiohas the lowest score in recent years at 27% and the highest is 2023’sThe Little Mermaidat 67%.Lilo & Stitch’s Tomatometer score will continue to fluctuate as more reviews are added, but if it stays in the mid-70s range, it will still beDisney’s best-received live-action remake in a long time.
94%
86%
84%
78%
75%
97%
71%
46%
Beauty and the Beast(2017)
80%
67%
93%
Lady and the Tramp(2019)
50%
65%
11%
57%
51%
88%
47%
39%
27%
After the positive reception toCinderellaandThe Jungle Book, the critical response toDisney’s live-action remakesbecame increasingly negative. This has fed into the narrative that Disney does not need to continue reimagining its animated movies.Lilo & Stitchhas now disrupted the downward trend that has been occurring for years now and can help change the overall narrative.
Why Lilo & Stitch’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Better Than Disney’s Other Recent Remakes
It Strikes A Perfect Balance
Lilo & Stitchworks better for critics than other live-action remakes because it stays true to the heart of the original film and the reasons why the animated movies resonated with audiences in the first place.ScreenRant’s Mary Kassel writes that"Disney is finally beginning to understand that these live-action remakes need to be as warm and inviting as their animated counterparts.“Deadline’s Gregory Nussen has a similar sentiment, expressing thatLilo & Stitchis"succeeding where other remakes have failed"in its ability to retain the original movie’s themes.
While remakes are bound to bring in new audiences, they should appeal to longtime fans of the original movies as well. So far,Lilo & Stitchseems to have achieved this balancing act with its crowd-pleasing take on the titular characters and their tale of found family. Amid the many familiar and successfully replicated elements of the original, numerous critics have also pointed out changes that they appreciate, with some alterations even being an improvement on the 2002 movie.
Lilo & Stitch’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Sets Up The Movie To Be A Huge Success
Positive Reviews Are Great News For The Box Office
Lilo & Stitch’s box office projectionshave been high for a while now, including an estimate of a $120 million opening during the four-day Memorial Day weekend. If the Rotten Tomatoes debut score had been low, though, and received reviews similar toSnow White, the high expectations could have taken a significant hit. The 76% score ensures that this will not be the case, especially with so many critics hailing it as the best Disney live-action remake ever, or at least the best in several years.
The mostly positive reviews can help assure families and a wide range of audiences thatLilo & Stitchis well worth seeing during Memorial Day weekend. WithMission: Impossible - The Final Reckoningreleasing this weekend as well, both movies are expected to have a massive opening weekend at the box office, and are poised to benefit from double-feature viewings, akin to what happened withBarbieandOppenheimerin 2023 andWickedandGladiator IIin 2024.Lilo & Stitchis the critical and commercial win that Disney neededfor its live-action remakes.
