Zach Galifianakis joins cast for ‘Lilo & Stitch’ live-action remake

Zach Galifianakis is set to star in Disney’s live-action remake of their 2002 animated film ‘Lilo & Stitch’

The film is expected to be a major release for Disney+, with The Hollywood Reporter stating that details on Galifianakis’ role remain unknown.

Best known for his role as Alan Garner in ‘The Hangover’ trilogy, ‘Lilo & Stitch’ will mark Galifianakis’ return to on screen acting since his role as The Happy Medium in 2018′s ‘The Wrinkle in Time’.

A cult classic

Disney’s ‘Lilo & Stitch’ takes place on the island of Hawaii and follows the story of Lilo, a young and lonely girl, and Stitch, an extraterrestrial genetic experiment, on their journey of discovering love and family.

The film opened to approximately $35.3 million during its opening weekend. While garnering favorable reviews and an impressive 87 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, ‘Lilo & Stitch’ was not an initial hit.

However, over the years, the film developed a larger fanbase and has since become a cult classic. To this day, ‘Lilo & Stitch’ is often praised for its diversity and emphasis on family.

Disney live-actions

Disney has released live-action remakes of their films since ‘Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book’ in 1994 which is, of course, a remake of the animated film ‘The Jungle Book’ from 1967.

Overall, these remakes have been met with mixed reviews, with some questioning the purpose of so many live-action adaptations of beloved classics.

The latest remake, ‘Pinocchio’, was met with below average reviews. It garnered 29 percent from critics and 28 percent from audience members on Rotten Tomatoes.

The next Disney live-action remake to hit theaters will be ‘The Little Mermaid’ starring Halle Bailey, Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina among others, with new songs written by ‘Hamilton’ creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda. It is set for a May 2023 release.

In addition to ‘Lilo & Stitch’, Disney has confirmed live-action remakes for ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’, ‘Snow White’, ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’, ‘Hercules’ and more.